Endgame
by nocchi
Summary: For Soma and Erina settling down was the last thing they could think of, but people always said that they have been having this weird things between them...or saying something along the line 'You'll end up together, anyway' but will they?
1. Chapter 1

HELLOOOO FANFICTION PEEPS! Hahaha, it's been so damn long, that for sure! I've finally returned with a new story! My country blocked fanfiction and I've been struggling to access it for a couple of years now but after I got hooked on fanfiction again, I decided to write another story because I've been reading such an inspiring one from all of you guys who participated in this website. I wonder why it took my this long to write about Shokugeki No Soma fanfiction remembering that i've been reading it since it came out. Anywaaay, I hope to those everyone who read it, you'll like it or at least will make your day a little better and for those, who favorites, follows or leave a lovely review, god bless your heart!

This is a story about Soma and Erina after the Tootsuki life with other multiple pairings. This is my interpretation regarding their relationship but Shokugeki no Soma is not owned by me, credits go to the author for creating these mesmerizing character, anyway enjoy!

 **RATED M** , just because tehee. Sorry if there's a grammar error, i'm not perfect xxx

* * *

Chapter 1: What's so good about Paris?

Yukihira Soma was a man of many. He's obnoxious, loud, carefree and all around overly confident guy. But, most importantly, he's pretty much shit at getting around. Although work takes him everywhere, be it Mumbai, Venice, Miami, you name it, he's probably forgotten how to get around.

Here he is, laying around at Champs-Elysées garden because he simply hadn't had the slightest idea of where to go in Paris.

This is almost his 10th time in Paris.

Finishing his work earlier than he anticipated, he had all the free time of the day to himself. Paris is always a busy city and that's part of its charm but Soma always knows that parks in Paris is something else. There's just something therapeutic about lying down in parks, it's like his habit on sharpening his knives when he's deep in thought. Being in a park wasn't the brightest idea remembering it's January and the cold air is excruciating but Soma was all but relax staring at the cloudy sky. There are saying that to understand Paris, you can't describe it, you have to felt it. And yet, every single visit Soma had to Paris was all nothing but for work. The life of Tootsuki 92nd generation seems like a longtime ago. One day he's barely fifteen trying to survive in the culinary school and now he's 25 with three restaurants under his belt and skill that was acknowledged by many.

Soma eyebrow draws to the middle, deep in thought, which people think it's not something he's capable of doing.

 _Why do people romanticize so much about Paris? Why are people so enamored with Paris?_

His trance of thoughts was interrupted by the vibrate of his phone. He fished his phone out to see a text from his longtime friend and one of his mentor, Shinomiya-senpai; _**Had to cancel for tonight. Tomorrow?**_

Soma feels troubled. He did want to meet with Shino-senpai so bad, to think that maybe he'll get the chance to be his sous chef once again but alas everyone who graduated from Tootsuki are basically too busy for a time off. His dad, the notable genius himself is busy. Can you imagine? His dad whose lifestyle basically screams 'I'll get by' can actually get busy cooking and doing god knows what.

But, it is no time to be dwelling on this, Soma himself knew best of the situation. He himself had canceled hundreds of appointment with friends from Tootsuki because of work. A thing he's guilty of. _**It's aight. Any idea where I should go? Pretty bored.**_

 _ **Nakiri might be available.**_

At that, Soma was grinning to himself like a lunatic.

Nakiri Erina.

How could he forget? She basically lives here. Come to think of it, when was the last time they met? Two years ago? Or was it at Ryo and Alice's wedding? He seems don't care because in seconds his thumb is typing a message inhumanly fast.

 _ **Yo, Nakiri. You free? I'm in town.**_

Soma sits up straight in anticipation because three dots appeared.

* * *

Nakiri had suggested to meet at Jardin des Tuileries and at Tuileries Soma stood, watching and waiting. With all the travel, the changing of the season, the jet lag, Soma didn't really think much about winter in Paris nor does he think that it would be this cold. He's basically freaking freezing, desperately trying to warm his hand by pushing it into the pocket of his coat. Maybe he's just downright stupid or forgetful of things, but it seems he can't comprehend how dare he packed a single black coat to Paris in January? To distract him, his eyes set on two little kids running, chasing each other on who's going to get to the carousel first. He stares at the carousel for a minute. The lights from the carousel give a yellow glow, basking in contrast to the early evening sky with warmth, and it had made his heart swell a little. Maybe this is what they said about Paris's lights. There's just something comforting about it now that he felt it.

Shifting his weight and trying his best at warming himself up, Nakiri popped up next to him.

"Black coffee, no sugar." She pushed a paper cup with hot coffee in front of his face.

Soma accepted it and quickly rub his hand over the paper cup. "You remember," he noted, smiling because Erina happened to remember how he takes his coffee.

Nakiri Erina takes a sip of her own. "When did you get here?" She asked. Soma on the other hand can't stop staring at her pink lips. How can she get it so enticing despite the dry weather, he wondered.

Erina prompted him and Soma quickly snapped back to reality. He scratches the side of his head and tilts his head sideways, "This morning."

Erina nodded, mouth still inches above the rim cup of her coffee. She blew on her coffee once and Soma can't help but smile at her, without Erina noticing this time. "You're tired? Feeling the jet lag?" She took another sip of her coffee, with a little sugar in it since her mood had been too bitter lately, she still can't figure out why.

Soma shook his head. "Not really."

"Want to get something to eat?"

Soma looks around, rather enjoying talking to her at this winter fair but he supposed that he could get something to eat since he hasn't put anything in his stomach other than a shitty croissant at the airport.

"I know some good cassoulet. Come on, I'll treat you to some of the best Paris winter comfort food."

"Good?" Soma taunted.

Erina groaned. "Great, decent, whatever. I obviously can make it ten times better but it's okay for a normal tongue like yours."

"I expect this cassoulet you're talking about will meet the standard of a normal tongue like mine," Soma leans forward, closing the gaps between them.

Startled, Erina back off a little. Her heart pounding irrationally. She still can't believe that although they don't meet that often due to their hectic schedule, Soma still have this effect on her and mostly she can't freaking believe it that no matter how many times they spend the night together, kissing, bantering, she still feels like a teenage high school girl who hasn't been kissed. She gulped the rest of her coffee with Soma still looming over her. God, when does he become so tall? "If you don't want to come then it's okay." She throws her cup to a nearby trashcan and walks past Soma, deliberately looking over her shoulders.

"Your status of God Tongue is on the line, ya hear?" Soma cackles before following a fuming Erina.

Yukihira Soma had nothing but praises for the thick stew with duck confit that Erina had recommended, after all she knows what's good and not, the best. Still, traditional homemade food that is made with thoughts and love will win him over anytime. Everybody knew that. It's actually one of Soma's weakness, how he will succumb to a well-thought dishes that displayed love, thoughts, and determination for people to enjoy. It's actually one of the best dishes he had in Paris after Shino-senpai restaurant and of course Nakiri's and wondered why he's only eating it now.

Because of all the time here, he hasn't had this much time to spare for exploring.

"So, how's the life of the great Nakiri Erina?" Soma started.

The girl with the beautiful intense violet eyes shrugged. Soma found it refreshing to see Nakiri look relax once in a while. "Same old. Restaurant, tasting, paperwork, interviews," she counts off her fingers one by one. "Oh, and I'm currently starting another foundation project to encourage young chefs to open their own restaurant."

Soma knew very well about the foundation she's talking about. They may not see each other enough or talk very often but everywhere Soma goes, Erina's there. Heck, he can't walk around Times Square without Erina's new interview segment smiling back at him. He didn't mind, obviously, actually, he's so damn proud of her, conquering the world through her cooking and all. She's basically the 'it' girl of gourmet world, Soma on the other hand? Feeling content with the way he lived, underground and doing whatever he wants to polish his skill and create innovations that could someday satisfied the said God Tongue.

"Why are you smiling?" Erina said, clipped. "Do I have something on my face?" she quickly pulls out her phone and take a look at her front camera. She can't have the risk of having a piece of duck on her face, worst, her teeth, while talking to Soma. She's dead.

Soma laughs wholeheartedly while putting down Erina's phone, away from blocking his view of the beautiful face. "You look fine, Nakiri. Don't sweat it, and I certainly not smiling because there's a piece of duck meat between your teeth,"

"I knew it!" Erina quickly pulls out her phone away from Soma's hand.

"Kidding," he cackles. "Can't believe you're so hung up about the way you look."

Erina's face was flaming red at this point. Because of anger? Irritation? Embarrassment? She didn't know. Probably all the above mixed.

"I'm just thinking how amazing you are with what you're doing, with the foundation and all," Soma actually, genuinely complimented her this time, no teasing laced in his words at all. Erina always wondered how the hell Yukihira Soma, the undisputed champion on saying things at the wrong time can come out with a compliment from that mouth? Having no clue about Erina's blush and thoughts, Soma pondered on, "I just admired you."

Yes, this is one of the things Soma gladly discovered about Nakiri Erina. You see, Nakiri Erina is a complex multilayered girl, the kind of people can't understand from the get-go. Just when you think that Nakiri Erina gives a little about herself, opening up, you'll find another secret layer behind it, some questions about it, you just can't fully comprehend her and Soma finds it fascinating.

While it took a certain event for Erina to warm up to Soma, after ten years he still pretty much clueless about her, but if there's one thing he knows is that while Nakiri Erina's life comes in a silver platter, she never actually used any of it to define her. She's proven to be uptight with work, yes, but only because she's serious about it but at times, at a rare inopportune moment, if you're lucky, you can catch her cracking jokes with her friends, something Soma is very glad to witness. She's a girl with privilege, everyone knows that, but she gave the people as much as she changes clothes. She's given so many help and aid for people to achieve their dreams, be it scholarship program, research and development, and charity work.

But, what Soma admired the most from her is that ever since the defeat of Central and the fall of Nakiri Azami, Erina is trying to fix the relationship with her father realizing, that no matter what, they are family and she never did ask for permission or approval to use her fortune to help others. Soma had once asked if her grandpa approved of the budget and she calmly replied that she did not need anyone's approval because the fortune Nakiri family have is not up to their entitlement. Ever since then, Soma knows that she was more than just a first-year ice queen who said his egg dish is disgusting.

"There you go again, smiling to yourself. When did you become such a creep, Yukihira?" Despite all the venom Erina try to put into her words, she's still unconsciously smiling.

"Can't believe that I actually miss that mean mouth of yours,"

Erina blew out a huff. "How about you then?" she quipped.

"Me?" He let out his boyish grin that obviously made Erina's heart skipped a beat. She hates how Soma always has the upper hand in terms of effect. "Y'know, cooking and stuff."

Erina lips pressed into a thin line. "So, you're saying nothing's changed?"

"Somewhat,"

Erina is far smarter than to believe this little redhead prick. She can't believe that she actually willing to waste her time for this carefree idiot who thinks that a two-year gap between them can be summed up with 'cooking'. "You get the news about Hisako, right?"

"Hisoko?"

Erina successfully dismissed the way Soma said Hisako name by mistake because after a couple of years, she grew tired fixing it because Yukihira Soma knew damn well her name, and he just keeps saying Hisoko for fun. Or just to irritate Erina. "Yeah, she's engaged to Hayama? They're going to get married? Like an actual wedding where you supposed to attend."

"Oh!" Soma slapped his thighs in exclamation. "The wedding."

Erina nodded. "You're coming, I assume?" It would be way out of the line for Soma to not attend, he already missed the engagement party three months ago and its Hisako and Hayama, both of them impacted Soma's life one way or another.

"On July, right?" Soma tried, randomly choosing a month despite not knowing shit about the details of the said wedding. Believe Erina, when every time they spend the night together, it irked Erina the most knowing that Soma had thousands of unread emails, messages, and any other notifications. On his busy days, you better bet the only way to reach him was through a phone call, that is if he's in the mood to answer or you have to settle with voicemail, though Erina knows that Soma never really use or even aware the purpose of a voicemail.

"April, Yukihira." Erina pressed, warning him lightly.

Soma dismissed her. "But it's next year, right?"

Erina fumed, clearly tired of this conversation. "It's April, this year!" She slammed her palms into the table, attracting attention from nearby customers but she didn't care because Soma sure as hell deserve a little nagging about his nonchalant attitude but she found she can't keep fuming when Soma gives her another grin and give out his promise to attend.

Freeing her long blonde hair from the low ponytail she's sporting, she stood up. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Just when they get out of the restaurant had Erina realized that Soma is not wearing a glove. Now, while Soma's is not as bad with the cold as much as Kuga-senpai or Rindou-senpai doesn't mean he can survive a January winter in Paris with no gloves on. Erina can't believe how stupid he is sometimes and she didn't even have the energy to ask why he didn't bring any gloves because knowing him, the answer must be frivolous.

Despite her tsundere streaks, Erina takes Soma's hand and put her gloves on him. "I can't believe we're 25 and I'm still putting gloves for you."

Soma laughs sheepishly. "Ah, guess I forgot."

 _Figured._

When Erina finishes putting the gloves on him, he mumbled a short thank you. "What about you then? Aren't you cold?"

Erina looks up at him, "I'm used to it."

Out of the blue, Soma, with his hand now covered in gloves grab Erina by the face and kiss her. It wasn't a passionate kiss that's filled with lust, Soma figures he can do it later, now a simple grateful kiss trying to convey the message 'thank you for your warmth' was enough.

Erina kiss him back almost immediately, not giving a care in this world, be it that they in public (both of them actually hates to show affection in public) or that she can't accept how dare Yukihira Soma kiss her out of nowhere, or that her response could be a dead giveaway that she's been waiting for the kiss ever since she knows Soma in town. That she had missed him, so bad. His cold hand, seeping through the gloves prickle her cheek, but she sure appreciated how warm his lips were when it touched hers. Erina can feel the burning sensation and tingles that she long for at the back of her spine. But, much to her enjoyment, Soma pulls away, grinned and mussed Erina's head.

She can't believe she's getting hot just by a simple kiss.

* * *

They both decided to get back to Soma's hotel before the cold nights of Paris eats them alive. Erina is currently sitting at the left side of the bed (always her side while Soma takes the right, something they both can find a way to agree on) with her back leaning on a headboard for support. She's scrolling her phone to check if there's anything she misses for the last couple of hours but finds nothing too important remembering today is her day off and she expected people to respect her privacy on her free time, one she didn't have so often.

Erina's head swivels to the side when she hears the bathroom door clicks, revealing Soma who had just taken a shower. His red hair is darker since it's wet, dripping little bit of water from his head, towel around his neck and definitely trying to tease Erina by just wearing a basketball short. That's it. Nothing to cover the body Erina had yearned for the last couple of years. Erina greedily takes the man before him with her hungry eyes.

"What, Nakiri? I hadn't gone out of the bathroom for 10 seconds and you already checking me out?" He laughs, padding his way towards the bed to sit in front of her.

Erina leans forward, playing into his teasing. "You tell me," she smiled devilishly at Soma, batting her eyelashes.

The corner of Soma's mouth curved upward, mirroring Erina's. He casually caressed her cheek with his thumb. Soma realized that his hands are calloused but Erina didn't mind, she had made sure he knows that. Soma takes in her state, looking so vulnerable and open to him. Erina had get out of her coat, sweater and skirt in exchange for Soma's black t-shirt and boxers. He finds her very sexy in his clothes, a sight he will never get enough of.

Outside, it's mercilessly cold but it's anything but in the space between them.

Both Soma and Erina realized that tonight will be the night when they start their routine again, sleeping together. Over the years, you didn't really have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that every man basically will worship the ground Nakiri Erina walk on if it gets them her number, so she obviously didn't lack a male companion to keep her entertained when she's stressed. And Soma clearly none the better, traveling to every part of the world, meeting new people. He too didn't lack the admiration from opposite sex and Soma had his fair share when it comes to girls, but Erina and Soma never do repeat.

Unless it's them.

In the ever-changing, fast-paced of Soma's world, he's actually very scared to realize that the one person who constantly seems to be just _there_ was none other than Erina. Maybe Soma wasn't ready or maybe there's a greater force that made him like this. Maybe.

Currently, he's battling about how he wanted this but not wanting this so badly.

A look of worried was seen in Erina's face. "What's wrong?"

Soma shook his head. "Nothing. Just thinking that I can't believe that I miss you, it's weird," it wasn't a lie but it's not exactly the reason behind his facial expression.

 _Jackpot._ Erina heart leaped hearing the words from Soma's mouth and without any delay, Erina moves forward and kiss Soma passionately to stop her from returning the statements. Just because. With Erina, her pride is way above Soma in her priorities list.

"Impatient, aren't you?" Soma chuckles against her lips.

 _Screw it,_ Erina thought, it's not like they don't want the same thing. "You do know that I'm going to stay the night, right?" she asked between kisses.

Soma muster a simple nod. "What time do you go to work tomorrow?"

"Nine,"

"I'll wake you up."

Erina managed a light chuckle. "Ha. I would like to see that, Mr. Heavy Sleeper."

"I'll even set 10 alarms,"

Erina puts her index finger near his mouth, "Ssh, more kissing," Soma gives a slight intake of breath when Erina fingers slide through Soma's damp hair. Tugging Erina down desperately, they met and there's nothing light about the kiss.

It's pure hunger and raw desire.

Soma's tongue thrusts into Erina's mouth and she let out moans that Soma always believed can wake up even the dead.

Soon, Erina loses the t-shirt and boxers and straddling Soma.

Grinding their lower bodies together, "Funny, how we always end up in this situation," Erina murmured while kissing Soma's neck and continuing downwards. She shoves her dilemma and thoughts with excellent grade, thinking that what they have between them was easy, it was always easy and she won't let her thoughts ruined this moment after two years not tasting every inch of his body.

Soma firmly grips her waist, the waist he had missed, the waist that his fingers seem completely fit into. "Fuck, Nakiri. I forgot what that mouth of yours can do,"

Erina can't stop licking every inch of him. He tastes like clean soap and she loves it. Tracing a path along Soma's chest, Erina can hear a low impatient growl from Soma and was his growl boost Erina's ego at what she's doing?

Nah.

It's _great_ for her ego.

Soma definitely liked the idea of Erina taking control seconds ago, but as she trails her path lower, it didn't seem like the brightest choice. Soma's throbbed in anticipation of urging Erina to go lower, faster, and once Erina's get a good grip on his shaft, teasing, Soma is practically begging, "Nakiri, goddamnit put me on your mouth," But one flick of Erina's tongue and Soma is yanking her up in seconds. "Nope. Not happening." He can't believe that with just a flick of her tongue, he's this responsive.

"Yukihira!" Erina yelp in protest.

"Trust me, I want nothing but that mouth of yours to wrap me," Soma said between kissing her, exasperated at himself because he can't decide which one he wants more. Her mouth on his dick, or his dick inside her pussy. His dick wasn't really favoring the first idea and he's fucked because it's been two years and he wants nothing but to devour her. Soma ignores the frantic request of Erina, the thing he seems to be very good at.

While Erina thinks that this frantic passionate session between them can't get any hotter, she was wrong. Soma purposely slows down just to nibble her bottom lip, then continues downwards, burying his face in the crook of Erina's neck, missing the sweet fruity scent of her. "This needs to go," Soma breathes as he slid down the bra strap from her shoulder and pleasures engulfed Erina when Soma waste no time to cup her breasts. He sweeps his thumb over her nipples playfully, "You don't know how much I've missed playing with this."

" _Oh_ ," Erina gasp when Soma flicks his tongue over her left nipple and then follow with sucking the hard nipple, drawing it into his wet, hot mouth. "Soma," Erina tried to calm her erratic breath but fail miserably.

"Mmm," Soma hummed, still damn playing with her nipples, mouth sucking, teeth grazing, teasing with his tongue. "Is this making you wet?"

 _Always a damn tease._

"Oh, God," Erina pants as Soma flipped Erina around.

Soma continues to keep working with his mouth until she's gasping.

"Why don't you find out how wet I am,"

Holding Erina around the waist, Soma kneels and frantically yanked her underwear down.

And...

It's a fucking big mistake.

Erina is still lying, her legs spread open and Soma are struggling for control. "Nakiri, you are fucking beautiful." Soma can't take his eyes off of Erina's sweet glistening pussy.

Grazing his fingers between her opening, Erina succumbs to the touch by bucking her hips and whimpering. "More,"

"You like that?" Soma was merciless with Erina.

" _Oh my God_ ," Erina moans because she didn't expect it when he slides two fingers right off the bat inside her. The wave of pleasure almost makes her come right there.

Nakiri is dripping wet for him and Soma can't believe that two years of not seeing can do this to her and also him. Soma's dicks were strained, red and begging to be inside Erina within seconds.

 _Fuck it, I have to have another time to lick her pussy and have her mouth on me._

Soma quickly disposes of his short and then he was naked.

"You didn't wear anything underneath," Erina said breathlessly.

"It's redundant," he grinned.

Drawing a breath, Soma eases forward, positioning himself. But, Erina caught him off guard by gripping his shaft into her opening and Soma can't believe that he's acting like a teenager, nearly shoots off before even entering.

Pushing the head towards her, Erina quipped, "Condom,"

Soma cursed because it was unlike him to forgot wearing protection. Usually, it's second nature to Soma like putting on his white headband before cooking. Shit, he must be the one who's impatient now.

"Soma," Erina said, warily. Why? Probably because the conflicted look on Soma's face. He had been stupid enough to left his wallet on his trouser, which is now left stranded in the bathroom and he's deciding whether to check the bedside table for some condom, because it is a hotel or he risks leaving the bed and go straight for the condom on his wallet. But he hates the thought of leaving the bed, leaving Erina cold and waiting. The soft warm touch from Erina checked Soma back to reality, "I have some implant on me, and I'm religious about my doctor appointment…" Erina swallows, hard and she didn't realize that she's been squeezing Soma's arm.

Soma pauses, like really look at her violet eyes, looking for something, _anything_ like a sign that this is real.

"It's okay. I want you to come inside me." Erina's cheeks flush red as she admits it and praying that Soma would break the silence. _Just please say fucking anything!_

"Don't tempt me, Nakiri. You have no idea how much I want to do that," Soma finally answered. His voice is hard, strained and clipped like he's trying to take control of his own body and mind.

Erina steeled her gaze at Soma and at that Soma knew that she had meant it.

Fuck.

Soma quickly grabs her head and fuse their mouth together, wildly.

Erina opens her leg wide for him, wrapping around Soma's hips for support.

He keeps kissing her as he nudged her opening, capturing her moan with his mouth as she stretched for him. "Ah, it felt… _God_ , it felt so good," Erina groaned. Soma never felt this good either. He feels like sweat is freezing on his skin because he's concentrating so damn much. When he was fully inside her, he clenched his jaw, straining against the raw sensation. She felt so warm, so wet and so fucking good. "Nakiri," he tries to even out his breath. "Fuck, I forgot that you have the tightest pussy in the world," he said, just above a whisper as his mouth moves down to her jaw.

Erina lightly raises her eyebrow, needing an interlude to get her used to him being fully inside her. To adjust. "Oh, are you comparing me?" She said, challenging him but her expression is amused.

Soma looks into her eyes. "Nah, I prefer bossy blonde over anyone," he continued to nuzzle back into her neck. "One in particular who has a pair of amazing tits," he continued down taking her hardened nipple into his mouth, "Curves in all the right places," his hand starts to slid down to tease her clit, "And particularly this pussy who's always so damn ready and eager for me."

She chuckles. "You have the dirtiest mouth."

As they both adjusted to each other, Soma starts to move, dying to go slow and make it last but painfully aware, considering the situation, that he won't last that long. Erina's shaky breath and whimpers make Soma sink even farther and when he hits a certain spot, Erina moans so loudly that the deaf could hear.

Soma reaches between them again and presses a finger to her clit, rubbing it. "Come for me, Nakiri," he rasps in her ear.

Erina squeezes her eyes shut, hips rising to meet his hurriedly thrust and keep saying his name, urgently.

Soma knew she was at the edge so he took charge of their rhythm, thrusting up into her with smooth, deep strokes.

She whimpered, closed her eyes and, "Soma… _Ah_ …I'm close…"

Her exquisite expression drove Soma crazy. "Let me feel it," and after two thrust, Erina cried out, tightening around him, pulling him deeper inside. Not long after, Soma groaned, coming so hard his vision wavers. They moved together, gasping and riding through the aftershock.

After they both recovered, Erina can't help but wonder how funny the world plays at her, one day she was telling him that his dish is disgusting and finding everything about him irritating and now she's currently being spooned by the said guy and she didn't mind. At all. Life is so freaking weird sometimes.

Eventually, she murmurs. "How long are you staying here?"

"Just until tomorrow,"

Erina nodded in understanding. "Where to?" she rolled towards him, curling for warmth.

"Nepal." He grinned, eyes twinkling with delight. "I'm coming along with Tsukasa and Rindou senpai. They ask me to be a guest on their show, and I always wanted to go to Nepal, I mean, what the hell do people eat there?"

Erina pushes Soma's bangs back, caressing it. "For how long?"

Soma thought this over. If he's not mistaken, Rindou-senpai said that it could be a month. They really are planning to learn the culture, food and also the people there. Soma can hardly contain his excitement but there's something odd about what Erina asked. He wasn't sure. Maybe there's something different in her tone? Because it sure as hell sounds like someone who worries. "Around three weeks," he answered nevertheless.

Erina not sure about her feelings, but, she was so caught up in the moment, staring at Soma's golden eyes while running her fingers through his hair, she feels content and starts speaking before she can even stop herself, "Be safe, okay? I hear winter in Nepal is ruthless," she paused, caught off guard by her own words. She quickly takes Soma's arm and shakes it in emphasis, "AND DON'T FORGET TO WEAR GLOVES!"

Despite her yelling, Soma understood the message. Loud and clear.

Without delaying, Soma gives Erina soft, tender kiss, the one that takes both of them by surprise by how much feelings in there.

"I…" Man, he sucks at this.

He wanted to say thank you. For today, for giving him warmth, and yet he puts his lips in a thin line. There is so much to say and nothing at the same time.

"It's okay, I know." Erina assured.

Soma concluded that the best thing about Paris was definitely her.


	2. Chapter 2

Hellooooo! Thank you for the follows, favorites and review. I appreciate how all of you spare your time to do it and even just reading my fanfiction, truly grateful let me tell you.

And yes, this is an ongoing multichapter but I'm not planning to make it too long.

So there's that. Well, this is the second chapter, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 2: New York Blue

Erina's phone is currently doing a high-pitched ring on the bedside table and she groaned, debating to herself whether she's going to pick up or not.

 _But it could be work_.

It's such a Nakiri Erina thing to prioritize work. Mustering all the energy she have, Erina sat and pick her damn phone to see who the hell is calling her at this hour.

Erina raised her eyebrow in annoyance when 'Yukihira Soma' name was emblazoned on the screen. And it's a video call.

"Yo, Nakiri!" Unlike Erina, Soma sounds chipper as hell although he looks like a total caveman.

The screen focused and Soma was met with a crinkled, furrowed brow and disheveled hair that belongs to Erina. He grinned but she remain unmoved.

Soma taps on the screen, repeatedly. "Nakiri?" He tries to move the phone around him, letting Erina take a glimpse of his bedroom. "Helloooo? You're frozen."

Erina is not frozen. She just chose to be quiet because she just wants to kill this man for waking her up, a feeling she grew increasingly familiar with for the past weeks because she hadn't got any messages, calls, emails or anything from him when she had gone out of her way to worry about him. Ridiculous.

Erina slid down under the blanket and raise one eyebrow at Soma's cheery attitude.

"Are you sleeping?" he asked, nonchalantly.

Erina take a glance at her clock. "It's four in the morning here, you idiot."

Soma laughed and plops himself down into bed. "Is it?"

Erina does wonder why she didn't hang up at all. Maybe at some point, she was actually glad that he's not stranded in a landlocked region called Nepal or worse, dead. At least there's that.

Erina stifles a yawn because apparently, Soma calls her just because he wants to annoy her and not really saying anything. "What is it, Yukihira?" She asked at him, sounding annoyed.

"Jeez, no need to yell," she wasn't yelling. "Just wanna tell you that I'm back in New York, my apartment, my lovely fluffy bed with no scratch."

"Ah, I see. How was the trip?"

This is something new for them. They're not usually talking, asking about each other life through a phone let alone a video call.

Soma's eyes can't help but lit up. "It was fantastic, Tsukasa-senpai is really something else, can you believe it that he can come up with a one of a kind dish after three days?" He tells her. "I'm barely even understanding the ingredients and he's already getting the locals heart with his cooking."

"Well, he is Tsukasa-senpai after all." she noted.

"And Rindou-senpai was basically the local favorites. Nobody can compete with her, not even the locals can compete with her craziness, she might as well invent new Nepal delicacies." Soma reminisce.

Erina shifted in her bed while smiling softly. "Yukihira," she says quietly. "I'm going to New York for work in three days, can I meet you then?"

Soma rolled to the side. "New York? Of course! What time will you get here?"

Looking at his reaction, she felt something inside her shifts and she can't help but think that he looks cute. She coughs, "I…uh…" she cursed inwardly. Shit, is she really stuttering when it comes to this man? Pathetic. Or rather, she's actually afraid to ask, afraid of what his answer would be. She wonders, does Soma thinks about her as much as she thinks about him ever since that night in Paris? There's something different from that night, different from the night they had spent together before. It feels like they're crossing something dangerous but also something they can't comprehend.

"Oh, are you staying at the hotel? Because that's completely fine but I would love for you stay with me." There is no hesitation, no doubt, no anything in his voice and Erina wondered how could she get so lucky.

"I would like that, that would be great." She answers softly, doubt within her gone in seconds.

"Sweeet! So, what time will you get here?" He asked with such excitement that Erina can help but feel it too. Now she can't damned wait. "I might be working though." Soma groaned. Because who the hell is he kidding? He's gone for a month and of course he needs to check in with reality itself.

Erina thought her itinerary over. She always makes sure to memorize her activities when visiting because chances are, Hisako is too damn tired these days, remembering her wedding is in two months. "I have to meet with some clients first, so, around seven?" She bit her lip.

Of course Soma is so damn dead staring on her bitten lip. He coughs, "Okay, I'll be out by 9, I think. I'm not sure," he laughs sheepishly because while he works in a restaurant, his idea he shares with employees and clients is beyond office hours. "But, don't worry, I'll tell the reception that the great Nakiri Erina is coming to town…" He trailed off because he notices something. Soma scrutinizes Erina, closing in to the screen.

"What?" Erina shifts uncomfortably under his gaze. Is it her makeup-less face? Her disheveled hair? She was forcefully woken up after all, not to mention she's been pulling an all-nighter before.

"You're not wearing anything," Souma said, calmly but his eyes darken, growing intense.

She yanks the blanket off of her revealing a pink silk slip nightgown, "You pervert."

"You never wore that with me."

 _Because it'd be useless, you'd undress me in seconds._ "I prefer yours anyway." Not that Soma think it's a problem with Erina wearing his clothes, she looks spectacular either way.

Soma swallows the lump on his throat, the one he didn't realize was there. "Nakiri, I want to confess," he starts slowly and Erina is afraid of what's to come next. "Back in Nepal, I was lonely for some reason. I feel unsettled and I can't really talk about it with Tsukasa or Rindou-senpai for that matter. But I realized when I took a shower, you crossed my mind and…" Soma deliberately leaves it hanging, wanting to see Erina's reaction.

She gulped. Begging for her mind to not go _there_ because this scares her, whatever this is, it scares her because their relationship dynamic wasn't supposed to be like this. They're supposed to banter, have fun, challenging each other not _this_. But, Soma's eyes is a dead giveaway that he's telling her the truth. She can't believe that this man, who usually cackles loudly and say stupid things managed to look this vulnerable and she wants nothing but to take it away, to make him feel better.

"And…" Souma repeats, not really continuing because he's so damn confused on where to start. Nepal had been great, better than he anticipated but there's something bothering him and he can't figure the hell what. The first couple of weeks had been amazing, Tsukasa-senpai was his usual self, aloof and funny to tease with Rindou-senpai keeps coming up with crazy ideas. Everything was great until the three of them helps one of the local giving birth. It'd make a great footage to boost ratings, to share the experience with the world. It had been touching, the village had less than 100 people and all of them had gathered just to watch a little tiny being come into the world. There's something about their solidarity that takes Soma back to a particular event 10 years ago. How he once felt that and how he's alone now in a foreign country. Everybody had gone their separate ways, opening a restaurant, working at Tootsuki, or making a TV show about food like Tsukasa and Rindou-senpai.

Soma himself was never the kind of man that settled but he has three restaurants anyway. One is his old Yukihira's family diner that has been closed for a couple of years because neither him or his dad is back in Tokyo, a joint restaurant with Ryo, Hayama and Takumi and his own, purely his own, restaurant in New York where he spent most of the time laughing and cooking with his employees that he considers as a family. If he's bored because he's constraint to the restaurant, he would travel, take every chance he can to explore, jump on anything be it for work, clients request or just simply his egoistic need to see the world. He met so many people in his journey and yet at this age he feels lonely.

Nepal was remarkable, no countries he ever visited has this effect on him. He's surrounded by the locals alongside Tsukasa and Rindou-senpai and yet he can't ignore the achy feeling in his heart upon watching a woman giving birth.

Watching a mother cradles her newborn baby, crying, praising the heavenly above had made him miss stability. There he say it. He has some worry trailing behind him wherever he goes, that somehow he's not doing something right, that he's missing out on something, his feelings of doubt are totally foreign and he wonders if its people his missing. Boisterous, loud people, and laughter he once experienced every day and amidst of that, he can't help but miss a certain blonde. It's a new sensation for him.

"Nakiri," Soma breathes her name, turning his body around to settle his head on a pillow. "I can't get you out of my head. It had followed me into the shower."

"Did you…?" Erina trailed off, not daring to finish her sentences.

"I did and now seeing you almost naked," Soma breath hitches on his throat. "You'd see how turn on I am by just picturing what I would do if I were next to you." Soma can't control himself, he legit think he's going crazy these past few days and he can't believe that he actually slide his free hand down under his boxers. While on a video call with Erina.

"Yu-Yukihira," she squirmed in her bed. "Did you…are you touching yourself?" she asks.

Soma groaned. "Yes."

Erina grew restless in her position, unconsciously tighten her thighs because she's feeling something down there. Soma grew confidence because of Erina's heavy-lidded eyes and continue, "I imagine you in the shower with me with that ridiculous dress. It's wet and your nipples are showing through the fabric,"

Erina swallows, mouth dry, breath starts to get erratic. She hates how Soma can make her feel lust in seconds, hates how he always makes her wants him but she never told him to shut up either.

"I sucked on your nipples through the fabric. Hard."

Erina unwillingly closes her eyes and moans. "Then?"

Soma gave his dick a slow stroke to take the edge off. "But it wasn't enough. I'm undressing you,"

Erina took the strap of her dress off from her body, revealing her breast, her nipples tight, begging for Soma's lips around it.

"Shit, Nakiri, are you going to touch yourself?"

"Yes," she moans as her free hands roam her breast.

Soma stares at her playing with her own breast. "I want to suck on those nipples more than I want my next breath,"

"I know."

"Put your fingers between your legs," he commanded.

"Little bossy, are you," She chuckles but brings down her hand down anyway. The video call stays on her upper part though because she didn't dare to show her private parts while Soma seems to be adamant on showing his face only.

"Touch it, stroke it, like I would," Soma head was clouded with lust that he can't even believe that he's asking Nakiri Erina to touch herself to the sound of his voice. "What does it feel like?" he can't help but ask.

"Very…wet."

"God," Soma can't seem to stop his hand from stroking up and down in desperation. "Put your fingers inside now, Nakiri."

Her eyes have gone hazy from pleasure, " _Oh, Yukihira…"_ she rocks on her bed restlessly.

The adrenaline coursing through Soma is like nothing else by watching how she's panting, her cheeks flushed and her nipples hardened even more and his strokes are getting faster. "Nakiri, look at me, look what you're doing to me."

Erina breast heaves and when Erina look at Soma through the screen, he almost lose his sanity.

"Spreads your leg…wider." Soma grunts, he can feel that he's nearing. "Feel me sliding in and out of your sweet pussy. Hard,"

"I want you to come deep inside me,"

Goddamnit! "I'm so close." Soma can't even believe his own voice.

"Oh, God, _Yukihira_ ," her breath starts to get desperate, Soma imagined she's picking up speed with her fingers. "I'm coming… Yukihira, _oh,_ oh, oh…" Erina finishes with a long moan and it's the sexiest thing Soma's ever heard and his body goes rigid, losing it, throwing his head back into the pillow, coming so damn hard.

"I've never done that before," Erina panted, catching her breath.

Neither did he. He grab a pile of tissue from his side and start cleaning up but never actually disconnecting with her, why? Maybe he's not done with her yet.

"I wonder what would people say if they found out you're this dirty," Soma chuckles, always teasing her.

"Shut up!"

Getting Erina flustered seems like one of the main goals of Yukihira Soma's life. There's just something about her that makes her so fun to tease. "I'm sleepy," he announced, stifling a yawn.

"Of course you're tired. Go get some rest," There's something commanding in the way she says it, but she is Erina, she's always like this but this time Soma notices that there's a hint of something familiar with compassion.

Soma pouted. "You're not here."

Erina's brows drawn to the middle. Most of the time, Erina is not there beside him, they've gone through years with that condition, not that they're anything more for it to be normal for them to be together every night, so why does he whine about her lack of presence now? She shoves down whatever feeling may rose for years and she hopes that there will not come a time when she can't control her feelings, because if anything, she's the best at controlling her life. "I can't wait to see you in New York," instead she says, dismissing everything.

"Yeah, me too."

* * *

Erina can't believe that this is the day that she will finally kill Soma. How dare he forgot to put Erina's name in the receptionist when he knew damn well he can't welcome her in person? And now she's standing, practically looking like an idiot and she just wants nothing but rest. Never in her life that she's waiting, Erina almost thought that the receptionist must be living under a rock for not knowing her. The receptionist must've had a TV at his home right? So why is he so adamant about not letting her in when she is the Nakiri Erina, clearly acquaintance of Yukihira Soma.

"Acquaintance?" he had asked and she doesn't know why but it struck her. Was she only just an acquaintance? Friends maybe? More than friends? Whatever. Acquaintance is the most professional out of them and it is not the time to be dwelling on the status of their not-so-relationship-relationship.

Calling Soma was out of the question too. Since she landed, he'd been MIA.

She could just storm off, book a room at a hotel in a snap of fingers but there's just something not right and Erina cursed herself for not walking away right this second.

"Do you really don't know who I am?" She tried again.

The young receptionist, probably in his early twenties, smiles sickeningly sweet. "I'm sorry, ma'am but Mr. Yukhira did not leave any message to take guest upstairs."

"I need to feed his cat, though. Can I come in at least to do that?"

The receptionist slowly shook his head. "I'm sorry."

Erina fumed. She's been meeting clients to do tasting and now this? Give her a damn break. "Okay, how about this," she squinted to catch the receptionist name. "Frank, I'm going to borrow the kitchen, cook something for you. If it's good, you have to let me in. The cat's life is on the line here." She can't believe she's going this far just to get into Soma's apartment.

He looks taken aback. "Uh…"

"Don't worry, you just sit here and let me cook for you."

"But, ma'am, I'm not sure…"

"Oh, the people in the kitchen? Don't worry, they'll be more than happy to let me play around." If that's what he's concerned about, she got it covered. Or maybe he's afraid that he'll get into trouble but Erina damn needs to get upstairs. So, Erina let out a small smile, to some people it might have been sweet but to those close to her know that she's up to no good.

The cook in the kitchen was ecstatic to witness Nakiri Erina on the flesh herself and love more than anything to let her play around in the kitchen. And true to anyone's guesses, Frank succumb to her cooking along with the rest of the kitchen crew. Nakira Erina herself managed to get stubborn Frank to take her directly in front of Yukihira Soma's room.

She can't help but grin to herself.

She always liked it when her cooking can bring someone to their knees.

Alright. Room 303A.

Erina smiled a little, in reminiscence of the old days. Such a little sneak, having an apartment with the same exact number just like his room back then. He really is a sentimental kid.

Erina gave a knowing look at Frank who hasn't leave her side.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry, ma'am." Frank drew back to the elevator, and soon as it closes, Erina waste no time to knock.

No answer.

She knocks louder.

Louder.

Again.

And again.

She's one second away from throwing rampage at his door when the door swings open.

Erina barely registered what the hell is wrong with him when he slammed the door shut in front of her face.

Erina, can't resist the immaturity inside her, pressed the doorbell over and over again.

The door was opened with more force this time. "What is it, Nakiri?" he let out an exhausted groan.

"What is it?" Erina yelled, pushing the door open for her to come in. "How dar—you look like death is knocking on your door."

"No kidding." He answered but there's no… anything. No snarky remarks, no energy, no nothing. He just sounds weak.

Actually, now that she really looks at him, Soma looks terrible.

"You're sick. Aren't you?"

"Any chance you'll go away? I'm not in the mood to banter with you, Nakiri." He let out a cough while resting his forehead on the door.

Erina helps him close the door and took Soma by the hand, leading him into the living room. "Not a chance. How long have you been sick?" Erina didn't have the time to look at this place he called home and she can't deny that she's been interested for a while, to wonder how would Yukhira Soma styled his home but she'll have plenty of time to snoop later.

"I don't know, yesterday?"

Soma really does look awful. His hair is a mess, sticking out every direction and he look like he's in desperate need for a shower. His eyes are red and glassy and he's still clad in his chef's uniform.

"I was feeling weird," he said, answering to the unspoken question. "Or at least I was. Now I just feel like crap."

Erina rests her cool palm against his hot forehead. "That's because you got a fever," Erina says softly, guiding him towards his bedroom.

Soma muster all the energy he has left to push Erina away. "The more reason you need to go. You're gonna catch the sickness."

Erina pushed back. "Not. A. Chance."

"How'd you get in anyway? You pay someone or anything?" Erina can't believe that this guy wasn't sick enough to accuse her of doing something illegal. She wasn't paying anyone anything but she did bribe the receptionist with her cooking.

"I'd lie about having to feed your cat," she answered, not completely lying.

"You made up a cat?" He asked, incredulous.

"What? You don't have one, do you?"

Soma groaned but didn't have the energy to fight back.

The second they enter the bedroom, Erina can't help but feel ticked. It's not something over the top like a pungent odor of rotting food but there are clothes strewn everywhere, be it the floor, bed, chair, and judging by the piece of clothing, it's the one he brings for Nepal and it looks like it hadn't been washed ever since he got back. "You've slept in this room?" She snapped, making Soma winced. "No wonder you're sick."

"You're not sleeping on those wrinkled and uninviting bed, you hear me?" Erina pointed out at the large bed settled at the center of the room. The half side of the unmade bed is full of clothes, chargers, phone, laptop laying around. "Let me just change you and I'll clean up, okay?" she said, more softly this time.

Soma can only give a weak nod before Erina undresses the chef's uniform from him. She guides Soma to sit in his leather chair in the corner before padding her way to his drawer.

Shit. She didn't know first thing about his place and now she has to figure out where this damn kid put his sleeping clothes? She didn't really feel like snooping with him right there but the situation didn't really leave her with much choice. Erina is irritated at why does this man who seems to never change his clothes have these many drawers in a big wardrobe, like what does he use it for? For all Erina knows, he always wears the second class Yukihira's diner outfit and he didn't really come across as the type of person who would care about what he wears, so why in the world he has this many choices of clothing?

Wow. Being nervous really makes her judgmental, not that she's always been benevolent on compliment when it comes to him.

"Nakiri," he started, hoarse, his head leaning backward looking uncomfortable. "Want to sleep."

"I know you do," Erina says trying to assure him as much as possible but sounds like she's trying to assure herself to calm the fuck down a notch. "I just need to know where you put your clothes."

Apparently, unknown to Erina, she's been acting disoriented, close to neurotic actually and Soma can't help but silently laugh. He just can't believe that the girl who always in order, following rules, all about that consistency and perfection can look like a mess. Come to think of it, he has seen her looking like a mess before but not because of him. This Erina standing a few feet from him, looking like she's trying to figure out how drawers work is a sight he will not forget.

"Bottom drawers, on the left."

Erina quickly pull out a set of t-shirt and pajama pants and put the clothes on him.

"Sleep," Soma murmured.

Erina runs her knuckles on his cheeks. "A minute, okay? Then you can sleep."

Erina works fast. Open the window to let some fresh air in, replaced the wrinkle sheets with a fresh, clean one and do some little cleaning here and there. "Yukihira," she called while she folded the corner of the sheets, for him to get in easily.

"Yukihira," she called again, turning around only to see Soma fast asleep on the chair. "Yukihira," she tried again, touching his arm, nudging it a little.

Soma's eyes flutter open and actually kinda look surprised to see her. "Nakiri," he grins despite the state he's in.

"I'm here," she assured.

"Thank you," he murmurs softly.

Something tugged at Erina's heart, something warm and loving it almost made her tear up a little but Nakiri Erina doesn't cry let alone in front of this man. "Let's get you into bed, okay?"

Soma gives her a sleepy nod and let her help him get out of the chair and into the bed. When he reaches the bed, he actually scoffs, "I can't believe that the great Nakira Erina managed to change sheets." It was actually thanks to Hisako who teaches her to clean the room, if the time comes for Hisako to stay 24/7 with Hayama. Sure, Erina still have her servants but when she's deep in charity work going from village to village the servants are not there and she has leave some bad impression that she can't do the little simple things like making her bed.

Erina patiently waits as he climbed the bed slowly, in the current state he's in, it takes a long time, he's just like a turtle when he's sick. "There's nothing I can't do," she smiled, kissing his forehead once he tucked in. Pulling the covers up to his chin, she patted it with such tenderness that Soma's eyes are closed again within seconds. "I'm going to clean up, okay? You'll get some sleep-"

"Stay," It was only a sleep-filled murmur but Erina's heart still stop for a second anyway. "Please, need you." He says, sounding exhausted and desperate.

Erina didn't think she was ever taken aback in all her life. Knowing that she was needed by him, she didn't know it would feel this good.

* * *

When Erina hears the door to the bedroom opens, it was morning the next day already. Soma literally sleeps all day. Erina turned around when he shuffles into the kitchen and then freezes when he sees Erina.

Erina stare at Soma's aloof face.

Sleepy Soma is…well, adorable.

Erina can't help but laugh at his hair, which messier than it was yesterday.

"Hey."

He rubs the sleep from his eyes and blinks, making sure that it was really Erina he's seeing.

"At least you don't look like death is knocking on your door." She chuckles softly.

He padded slowly into the kitchen and suddenly stop on his tracks when he sees a full brew tea. "You made this?"

She shook her head. "I ask Hisako to made it, you always like her tea."

He nodded, take a sip and sat down, eyes looking tired.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Almost a day," Erina stood up and sat down on the bar stool next to him. "Go take a shower, it'll make you feel better."

"Too tired," he mutters, half whining.

Erina pick up a glass of wine she had poured earlier, swirling the wine inside the glass.

"I know that it is my glass. Is it also my wine?" he asked, half smirking, looking at the glass she's holding.

"No," Erina scowled. "Your wine selection is shitty. I mean, you have like seven-digit salary and yet your wine collection is basically from the supermarket."

He laughs. "It's actually one of the best."

"No," Erina said, firmly. "You just want the cheapest wine with the highest alcohol in it."

"Damn. So true."

"Are you hungry?"

"I don't know," he answered indecisively, rubbing his stomach.

"When was the last time you ate?" she asked, worried.

"Yesterday probably," he rubs his palms over his cheek. "I'm not sure. Could be two days ago."

"Okay, you need to eat," she goes full commander mood as she pull up some bowls and spoon from his cabinets. From all the hours she spent in his home, she had mastered where he stores almost everything.

"Should I be worried that you know where I put my stuff?" he said, his tone easy.

Erina pour something into the bowl. "I made some miso soup. Dig in."

He stares down at the steaming bowl. "What is this?"

" _Miso soup_." He looks up and Erina roll her eyes. "I didn't put any poison in it." _Now she wish she was._

He slowly picks up his spoon but his eyes are back to Erina. "I don't know what's more weird, the fact that you can be so domesticated or that you cook for me."

"You sound surprised."

"For all I know this could be instant miso soup," he murmured, thoughtfully spooning in a mouthful of soup.

"Hey!" Erina swatted his head, not caring if he's still sick or not. "I'm not you!"

"Then how about you acting so domesticated?"

"What's so weird about it?" She challenges.

"I thought Tootsuki princess had anyone, everyone, to do things for you,"

That's actually the truth and it embarrassed her a little for some reason. "I did. But I've learned some basics with Hisako."

He studies Erina's face for a second before turning his attention back to his soup. "It's good," he commented.

Erina obviously is ticked from the comment. Good? What kind of compliment is that? Can anyone spurt out something more boring than good? But she slips out a smile when she watches Soma devours the entire soup in one attempt.

"It's not fair, you never admit that my cooking is delicious, and here you are, making a simple miso soup and I'm suddenly feeling like myself again."

She smirks while reaching for the empty bowl and turning it towards the sink to rinse it. "I figured that you wouldn't criticize a miso soup."

Erina look over her shoulder when he didn't say anything back. Only to find that he's frowning. "Leave it, I'll wash the bowl."

There's something weird with the way Soma suddenly changes but Erina didn't dare to bring it up so she decided to backpedaled fast, try to bring the mood of banter between them again, the safe zone, "I can see that my miso soup brings you back to health but I can come up with basically anything for any situation, so... " She folded her arms in front of her chest, taunting him but it sounds way too forced. Like, what the hell is wrong with Erina? She knows that she never really doubted her cooking, she's actually always so confident but why is she so insecure now? Why in the world did she cooked miso soup just because she's afraid that Soma will judge the taste of it? She realizes that it wasn't only Soma who hasn't feeling himself because of sickness, Erina too but instead of sickness infecting her, it was her feelings. She finds it too much that she just spend the night with Soma without sex or even kissing, she just sleeps next to him, sometimes if he wakes up in the middle of the night she would gladly soothe him back to sleep and she never did that to anyone. Ever.

Come to think of it, there's many Nakiri Erina's first that happen because of Soma.

Without her consent, her brain ran an overdrive to limit herself, constrain everything just because she's afraid of what's more. Nobody knows and nobody can guarantee what 'more' has in store.

Soma looks over at her and she feels stripped, she feels his gaze and she hates for not being in control, for not knowing, for having to guess and wonder all the time what's going on in that stupid mind of his. "I'm not going to criticize your cooking or anything, Nakiri. You came, took care of me and stay around..." he looks troubled when he says it and Erina turn her face away from him, not daring to look at him.

"So what now?" Erina asks, gently. The question can mean a lot. It can refer to what would become of them, what is she going to do later in the day, what is he going to do later in the day, what _they_ going to do in the day, it has so many meanings if you put assumption to it but assuming things weren't Soma's best abilities so he set his lips into a tight line, carefully formulating words to not make anything more uncomfortable than it already is.

"I stink," he laughs sheepishly. "I'm gonna take a shower, okay? But, stay. We'll go somewhere or watch a movie or anything."

Conversation over apparently.

* * *

Leave a lovely reviewww xxx!


	3. Chapter 3

Helloooo guys! So sorry for the super duper late update but I've been busy with my college stuff and I guess life happens. Anyway, this is chapter three for my fanfic and I am so so so so sososososo grateful for the follows, favorite and review, it helps me so much on improving my writing and giving me the motivation to continue and that's all because of you guys so god bless you all.

Anyway, I fixed the first two chapter and this chapter will have its own mistake and will fix it in the future so make sure you check back or read it again if you feel like it hehe but still, i'm not invisible to mistake so i'm sorry in advance

I decided this whole story will pivot around Saiba's plot just because I had this plan and ideas about further chapter so make sure you guys tune in!

Anyway, i'm rambling but i hope you guys enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Chapter 3: Blindsided at Vienna

It was morning when the world found out that Saiba had another son.

But with all the travel and flying, Soma only get around to it once he touched down in Austria for Hisoko and Hayama wedding.

It was noon and Erina is currently ordering two cups of drinks from the local coffee shop. Soma had specifically asked for an extra shot since he senses an extra audaciousness coming from her ever since they take off from JFK. There are numerous factors that play part into Erina's moodiness, for one, the driver who was supposed to pick them up had coincidentally gotten late, and Soma had blatantly refused Erina's offer to join her on a private jet to Austria among her many luxury privileges so Nakiri Erina had been flying commercial, for the first time in years. That means waiting in line, mingling with people, had to wait in another line and basically not getting what she wants at the snap of her fingers. It seems the compromise to settle for business class doesn't help either.

"Yukihira," Erina called out.

"What is it?" He chews on his lip, wishing that it was him who's making the order because Erina has been taking her sweet little time when there are numerous glowering eyes behind them waiting in line.

"They don't serve decaf soy latte."

"Then get something else," he deadpanned. Why is she telling him this now? For all he cares, she's been staring at the menu like its exam questions.

Erina narrowed her eyes at him. "But I've been wanting those."

Soma knew that she certainly did not want a decaf soy latte, in fact, he knows that Erina knows decaf beverage means using beans with a higher fat content which means increasing the level of cholesterol. She hates it the most. But, while Soma thinks that he's not capable of complaining in public places, Erina, on the other hand, likes to complain, especially the moody Erina, she _loves_ to complain, getting out of her way to start a fight just to prove that she's right. Soma huffed, this is it, "Just set it aside, don't make a scene." He said, beckoning to the people waiting in line behind them.

Erina looks offended. "A scene? I haven't told anyone off for three days."

 _What a record_. Soma closed his eyes for a moment, thinking if its worth it or not to have it a go with her in the middle of an airport. "Nakiri." He decided it wasn't the best decision to start a fight.

For a hot second, they held a staring contest until Erina shoulders slumped forward and huffed. "Okay. Fine. You won this time," she shakes her head and faces the barista again. "Iced, sugar-free, vanilla latte. Thank you."

Soma breathes a sigh of relief and he took the handle of their luggage and wheeled it to the nearest bookstore, thinking that its best to wait far away from her, in case she decided to unleash her rage. He settled into a little corner, watching Erina done the ordering and is currently at the sugar bar and start mixing things into her drink.

 _Talk about extra maintenance. After making someone life's difficult she still has things to add into her drink?_ Soma shakes his head with a hint of amusement.

After a few moments, Erina walked over and handed him his coffee. Black coffee with no sugar. Just like the way he liked it.

"Have you been to Austria?" Erina said absentmindedly, taking a look at the stack of 'Austria Tourism'.

Soma thought this over. "I guess once, I'm not sure."

"Huh."

"I wonder what we'll be doing for the bachelor party, should we take them to the sea? Play a little prank on them?" Soma suggested while looking at Erina with a hint of giddiness.

"They don't have sea in Austria," Erina pointed out.

Soma stupidly only stares at her dumbfounded.

"No kidding."

"I swear to God, they don't. Austria is a landlocked country,"

"There's no seas?" Soma is truly dumbfounded. He can't remember if he's been to Austria or not but he's sure that Austria has seas at least sea. Soma hastily checks out one of the Austria Tourism magazines, and find nothing. Turns out Austria is a country full of mountains not seas and he's probably mistaking it for Australia.

"They do have lakes though," Erina informed.

"Lakes? I assume we don't stay near a lake."

"No, we're only staying in Vienna and at a hotel at that."

"So, a swimming pool then," Soma mumbled.

"Or no swimming pool."

Soma raises his eyebrow, "You sound you don't like the idea of it."

"Because a party means getting drunk, and getting drunk means throwing people into the water for fun." Her tone sour and lace with disapproval.

Soma scratched the side of his head. "Come to think of it… No way," realization dawns on him. "Does the mighty Nakiri Erina afraid of water?"

He waited for a reaction but none coming from her.

Soma snaps his fingers, "No, that's not it. You can't swim, can you?" Soma went full cheshire grin, more than delighted to find her weakness.

Erina's passive response was a dead giveaway.

"I can't believe it, 10 years of knowing you and I just found out about this now?" Soma boomed.

Erina shrugged. "It's nothing big. It's not like I'm the only one in the world who _can't_ swim." By the looks in Soma's face, she's going to hear about this for many years to come.

Soma put both of his hands up in the air. "Alright, I'll give you some dispensation, since you're in a bad mood and all."

Erina bristle, "I'm not in a bad mood!"

Soma merely raises a brow and Erina hastily picks up a cooking magazine with a blush on her face.

"I've known you for years, Nakiri, and you certainly don't need to avoid me every time I caught you besides I never take you as the reading type." Soma teased.

"Last time I checked, you're the one who doesn't read," Erina said, clipped.

Soma always felt satisfied with the snarky remarks Erina made, there's just something so fun in teasing her. " _Touché_ "

Erina ignores him and changes the magazine. She picks up the one with 'Rising Chef of 2018' written on it.

"To pass the time," Soma started but Erina only flips for more pages. "Maybe we can get something to eat?" He rubs his pretty empty stomach, feeling it grumble since the last decent thing he ate was from the plane.

Soma takes a glance at her but Erina's expression has turned serious as she craned her neck more to get a better look.

Frowning, Soma takes another step towards her. "What's wrong?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she kept on reading, her eyebrows furrowed in the middle.

Soma glanced at another copy of the same magazine sitting on the stand and look at it with confusion. Maybe she didn't like the feature? Or maybe there's an article written about her?

"Did it say something about you?" He tried anyway.

She shook her head. "No, it's not it…" her tone quiet.

Soma takes a grip of Erina's wrist, asking her to look him in the eyes.

She looked rattled.

"Nakiri. What's wrong?"

She pointed to a photo on the upper left corner. "It's your dad. It says here that he had a son. A son whose name is not you."

 _A son?_ Soma quickly took a closer look. The spread consisted of pictures of his dad when he won BLUE and a stranger. Dark haired, a little curly, probably in his mid-twenties and had a medium build. Near the man, were written: SAIBA ASAHI, THE NEW GENIUS OVERTAKING HIS FATHER?

Now, Soma know better than anyone that his father is shrouded with mystery and occasion like this will pop up out of nowhere, that much he prepared, and he's grown accustomed to it but Erina? Bless her heart for looking at him with such concern and care in her violet eyes.

But he was never the man that could comfort a confused woman.

He was actually the least qualified person for the job.

Soma knows how to survive in the wild if it means new lesson about wild ingredients, he can make any dish in the spur of a moment whether it's a shokugeki or a special request. He knows how to differentiate soba noodles type just by the smell of it, he can make use of cheap ingredients to taste like a five-star restaurant dish and yet nothing really prepares him for this.

He should say something. Obviously. But, most of the time all he got to say was only to worsen things and he can't afford it this time, remembering how delicate this subject is to them. Soma rarely talks to anyone about his family, let alone Erina, it was so foreign that he can't beg his brain enough to work for this one time, to formulate something that is not stupid or a self-defense sarcasm.

Erina being quiet didn't help either. She just stood there, watching, waiting for Soma to say anything.

But what?

For a second, Soma thought that maybe he didn't have to address the problem specifically. He's good at being evasive, sprouting comments that could ease the tension and start talking about random things that just pass by his brain. Surely, she realized by now that _by_ not talking anything was, _in fact,_ speaking volumes when it comes to Soma.

 _Damn. No can't do. Not when she looked at me like she wants to make everything better for me._

"It was inevitable," Some started, very slowly that Erina almost missed it.

"Inevitable?!"

 _Ah._ Soma didn't plan what to say afterward, he didn't even know where this conversation will be headed.

"Don't you have something else to say? Like, why suddenly there's a guy in the culinary world claiming to be the son of your dad? Does your dad even have another son? Don't you want to call him to ask for an explanation?" Erina frustration is shown exactly the moment Erina threw the magazine back into its place and look at Soma with an irritated glare as if he's the one so fucking stupid for taking this as a baseless rumor.

Honestly, after long flights, deliberately dealing with Erina's moodiness for the whole trip when they even haven't met with Hayama and Hisoko, Soma feels its body and mind finally takes its toll. "Erina, please don't."

Erina was shocked by the words that come out of Soma's mouth, she looked at him like he grew eight heads. "I'm sorry?"

"Don't go there, just don't." He said it more firmly this time, hoping that she won't be so persistent about this particular issue.

Erina knew that Soma always takes her by surprise but not like this. She always knew that they had their differences when reacting to a certain issue and how to solve them but Erina never takes Soma mastery-of-brushing-off-things can reach this level. "You don't want to know," she said, matter-of-factly.

"It's not surprising," Soma offered lamely.

Erina looked like she wants to argue. Hell, she looks like she's hell-bent on knocking some senses into Soma's head.

"You need to ask him."

"It's…" Soma muttered.

A long silence stretched between them as Soma debated whether he should go down this road or not. He takes a glance at Erina, whose pining him down with her intense violet eyes that looked almost crazy. Deep down, Soma knew damn well that Erina wants nothing but the best for him, no matter how much she used to hate him. If the guessing was right, Erina is probably trying to help Soma to face the deep-rooted curiosity boiling inside Soma towards his father, no matter what it is about, because, among other, Erina had watched Soma raises a question mark at his father the most more than anyone. But she also doesn't need to be so damn persistent on uncovering him when he's lacking sleep, in the airport of some countries that have mountain, _not sea_ , and certainly not when he hadn't had a good food since yesterday.

"I never really ask too much about my dad's life and everything," Soma finally said, his voice low. "I mean, of course, I want to know, but just when you think that you'll have some kind of resolution, some answers, it will only lead to more questions about him. I don't like what's coming after it, not one bit."

"What's coming after?" She challenges.

"That I would want to know about him more, that I would ask more questions. I'll keep going through memories and every conversation I had with him, looking for a sign just so that I won't feel like a fool for not knowing anything because I'm his son." He looked at her with wariness. "Because there had to be some sign, _right_? That maybe if I paid more attention to why he's gone most of the time and shit, maybe I could figure things out. It sucks, it's like guessing every Shino's senpai moves when he's experimenting, you have to learn every damn time and there's no end to it."

Erina's stubbornness diminishes. "So, you just swallow your question, is that it?" she croaked.

Soma shook his head, looking around, afraid that they start attracting attention. "Don't say it like that. If he had the time to meet, he will tell me about things he's been doing and I had learned for the past 25 years, that the more I kept quiet about things, the more he will tell me. It's just the way he works, I guess."

"Okay." She said.

Soma was surprised by her responses but he decided this is as nice as Erina can get for now so he accepts it. "Okay."

* * *

Erina is glad that she got her own room. She was worried that Hisako would throw Erina and Soma in the same room since all of her friends like to tease her and they certainly love making assumptions about them. They go as far as saying that both of them would end up together, despite everything. Yeah, right.

Space is what Erina needed now, especially away from Soma after the conversation about his dad, which went well.

But, just when Erina think that she can finally rest, she hears a knock.

It was Hisako.

"You haven't unpacked anything," she notices once she set her foot inside Erina's room. "That's unusual." Hisako studies multiple luggage still standing near the hallway to the room, noting that Erina is the type of person that immediately unpack because she just likes to have everything at the ready.

"It's a long flight,"

"You're not a very good liar, you know." Hisako smirk.

Erina groaned and followed Hisako to the bed. "I'm flying commercial if you forget."

Hisako laughs. "I know and I still know that you're lying. Does it have anything to do with Yukihira?"

Erina put up a defense's front. "What's up with the twenty questions?"

Hisako pointed a finger at Erina. "I knew it! You've heard the news."

Erina pouted, hated how Hisako can read her like an open book. Hisako stares at Erina for a few seconds until Erina groans. "Would you please stop looking at me like that!"

"Like what?" Hisako plays dumb.

"Like I'm worried about Yukihira."

"Are you?" Hisako taunted.

Erina kept quiet. She decided its best if she didn't tell anyone about what Soma's feeling, it's best to keep them unaware of it since she didn't know what to make out of it yet. "Well, he'll be fine, he always is."

"Is he though?" Hisako asked.

Erina shuffles in the bed, pondering on what to say. "I've tried talking with him… but he seems so adamant at ignoring the problems."

"Well, I think it's in our nature to avoid what doesn't make us feel good,"

"Maybe because Soma was tall and always smiling and practically couldn't give any shit about anything makes him look so formidable…" Erina still can't shake the image of Soma's expression at the airport. Confusion, wariness, everything that Soma isn't. "But, he helped me and I just wish that I can do something about it, but in the end, its not my business, is it?" There's a hint of sadness in Erina's voice because she can't do anything to help Soma ease the pain. It wasn't her job in this world to read into Soma's mind and understand his feelings but it also doesn't hurt to know what he's feeling once in a while, if he hadn't been so keen on being a guy who always keeps things to himself.

"I've known you for a long time, and you will surely as hell make it into your business, take matters into your own hands." Hisako took one of Erina's leg and put it atop her thighs, patting it. "But that's what I like about you, you've grown so much, you care about your friends and willing to help them with anything."

Erina didn't know if its because the travel, the tiredness, the news about Soma's dad or anything but she just feels overwhelmed and words from Hisako ease the tension within her. Erina breathe out a sigh. "Thank you," was her short reply but Hisako knew that it was more than just a simple thank you. Erina was never a girl who's good at expressing her feelings.

Hisako suddenly pinches Erina's leg as she yelps and laughs. "Right, done with the sappy moments. I need you to be laughing and smiling with me for the weekend, it is my wedding after all, can you do that?" Hisako leans into Erina's and force Erina to sport a smile with her fingers.

"Of course." Erina let out a genuine smile, finally for the first time today.

Hisako put herself in a sitting position while eyeing Erina's luggage. "Fantastic! Now, we need to find you a dress for tonight dinner ASAP because Tadokoro and Alice are waiting and you know how impatient Alice can be." Hisako winked.

Maybe this is what Erina need, a time with the girls, away from Soma so she can unwind and gather her thoughts and finally be able to get a grip on herself, especially because she's been failing to do what she believes she does best for the past few weeks.

* * *

Soma had been enjoying dinner way too much. He eats every food option available, drinks everything be it beer, wine, champagne and also very boisterous regarding Hayama and Hisoko wedding as if it's his own wedding. Not to mention, Soma had the support from Kuga-senpai, who is also as loud as Soma.

Soma is actually very glad that he got to meet everyone again after such a long time, this is exactly what he needs for the distraction, not that he's having a hard time to get distracted but he knows its always at the back of his mind, waiting to pounce in the most inopportune moment.

The boys huddled together, drinking, away from the girls and families. "Are you nervous for tomorrow?" Takumi asked Hayama, taking a sip of his drink.

"I'm fine," Hayama is aiming for disinterested but the group clearly knows that he's failing miserably. Hayama coughed, "So, how is it with you? You thinking of marriage?"

Takumi rubs his chin. "Well, I've been thinking about life with Tadokoro and I guess I'm waiting for the right time."

The others felt like the right time had been years ago, but Tadokoro just landed an award for the best chef of the year and it's a milestone for her and maybe Takumi was just waiting for the time to pop the question.

"How about you? Are you still with… who was it? I seriously can't keep up." Isshiki grinned at Kuga.

"Nope and long forgotten." Kuga popped the O and laughs shamelessly. Because when it comes to Kuga, changing girls were almost a daily occurrence.

"You need to settle," Hayama said, glancing at Kuga who's munching on some fries.

He pouted. "Why? How about Yukihira-chin, he's afraid of commitments as much as I am."

Soma interrupted by clicking on his tongue. "Hey, I'm not afraid of commitments, it's just that I haven't made one in a long time, there's a big difference."

The group mumbled a teasing agreement. "And what happen that made you this way, Yukihira-chin?" Kuga fished.

Takumi snort. "If I remember correctly, was it because you're always arguing because you always cancel plans for work, is that the reason?"

Hayama frowned. "Wait, that's it? I thought you cheated."

Soma takes a big gulp of his beer and then wipe his mouth with the back of his hand. "Sorry to disappoint you, Hayama but I never cheat, I'm just tired to argue any time I had to cancel plans for work,"

"Yeah, as if you want to cancel plans because that is so much fun for us. I'm in the same line of work with Alice and she still does that." Ryo rarely talks about his life, hell, he's barely talking about anything with anyone, so a sudden change of style attracts attention from the group.

Soma light up, "Thank you, Ryo. Exactly." Soma concluded, clinking his beer with Ryo's, thanking him for being rational and the most logical out of the stupid bunch.

"Well, Nakiri didn't seem like the type to do such thing." Isshiki glances at Erina who's talking with the others a few feet away.

The whole group laughs in unison.

"Right, you guys need to stop with all speculations and predicament that I'll end up with Nakiri because it's not happening." Soma had dealt with this kind of conversation for years, even when they're still in high school. Soma wasn't the kind of guy that is interested in a relationship, and as far as he knows about one, was that he always got yelled at because of numerous plans he had to cancel. He didn't blame his then girlfriend, if he were in her shoes he would probably feel the same but at that time, Soma loves his work more than anything. It was the time when he had the energy, the money, the opportunity and the experience of opening up a new restaurant, making new connections with a client and fellow chefs and just basically exploring his capabilities. Now, being 25, he doesn't feel that much. He started to feel like he's missing out on something.

"No?" Kuga whined. "Why not?! Even though you both always meet and do the stuff?"

Soma raises his eyebrow, alarmed. "Okay, why does everybody knows?"

"We've known for a long time," Isshiki said with a wink. "You don't have to be shy."

Soma's cheeks reddened a little but he quickly brushed it off, because Soma doesn't get flustered by this type of conversation. "I enjoy her company and I hope she does too but she ain't mine to have." Meaning that she definitely deserves better but Soma won't say that because it makes him sounds like he's thinking hard about it, and he's not thinking about it _at all_.

"Let me guess, because you value your work more than real breathing people," Hayama snickered and Soma salutes to that.

"He's in denial, you know it, we all know it, everybody knows it." Takumi huffed.

"ANYWAY," Soma interrupted urgently, changing the directions of the conversations. "Hayama is obviously still nervous and we need to do something about it."

There's an irritated sigh coming from Hayama. "Seriously, Soma if you as much as ruined the night and my wedding…"

Soma dismisses the uneasiness brewing in Hayama. " _No_ , trust me, we've been talking all afternoon," Soma motioned at Kuga.

Kuga suddenly looks excited like a little puppy. "And it's brilliant. _Magnificent_." He said proudly, arm in arm with Soma.

"Okay, the last time both of you had an idea before Ryo's wedding, we got chased by a police officer, we ran for four blocks just to get away." Hayama pointed out.

"Don't forget the time when we had to rush Isami to the hospital because you recklessly sign Isami for a spicy food contest and we all had to sleep outside the hospital because Kuga-senpai can't keep his mouth shut. Was that the idea you would like to propose?"

"Please take offense, that most of your idea are shit." Ryo grumbled. "Can't believe that I actually got yelled at by Alice on my wedding day because I had shown up with a Hawaiian shirt and a short. We're not even in Hawaii at the time!"

Soma groaned at his friends for acting like a straight A's student who doesn't want to get into trouble. "It was just a coincidence that the pizza parlor we chose that night didn't serve good pizza and I had to storm into the kitchen because I love you guys and I want to make a perfect pizza to end the night."

"By ruining every ingredients and tool they have," Isshiki smiles.

"Says the one who always gets naked every time we go out," Kuga give out support for Soma.

"Still, it wasn't mine or Kuga-senpai fault that every time we go out, misfortune happens. The police just happened to patrol in front of the pizza parlor, and Ryo, you should be thankful that we had the decency to put clothes on you, so you don't show up buck naked, we almost do that, don't tempt us now," Soma threatens.

"And Isami is practically begging me to join the food contest." Kuga finished.

"You both are giving me a headache," Hayama concern is off the chart now.

Some dismissed with a wave of his hand, "It's the alcohol." He said at the same as Kuga, and then look at each other with wide eyes and high-five. Which doesn't support their plea to do something fun for the bachelor party.

Takumi pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head because he can't believe what he's going to say next. "All right, lets' hear it," Takumi said, defeated and exasperated.

Hayama turns his head to Takumi so fast people think he's getting a whiplash. "Please tell me you didn't give in, Aldini. _We've talked about this_."

Yes, Takumi Aldini remembers everything perfectly, it's like its embedded into his brain. Funny how they should be drunk but they remember everything perfectly, except the two that started everything. But, do they really have a choice? Judging from the looks of it, they both will beg like a puppy for the whole night and trust Takumi to know that they will relentlessly beg for it. "It's your wedding, Hayama. It's your call." He throws the weight back to Hayama, in which he curses.

Soma and Kuga look at Hayama with a hopeful look.

Ryo shakes his head. " _Hayama_."

"Hayama, I don't want to hear them begging for the entire night either." Isshiki piped in, whining like a little kid. Man, it's so hard to see where Isshiki stand, after all these years, people still don't know if he likes to start a chaos or a healthy challenging environment at the kitchen.

Hayama let out a big groan, giving in. "Fine," Soma and Kuga had already been jumping when Hayama sternly continues, "but no fighting whatsoever. God knows I don't need another fight, especially from you, Ryo." Hayama wasn't a short man, but he still looks up and down at the sheer size of Ryo.

"Hey, what did I do?" He protested.

"Really? It was Kuga-senpai celebratory night and I literally witnessed you beat a guy just because he asked you for a picture." Takumi reminded.

"I did no such thing," Ryo said with a straight face.

Soma clapped his hands. "Right, back on tonight, first off we're gonna rent some scooter!" Soma with giddy delight.

"Lord help us." Hayama prayed while doing a cross.

* * *

Hisako is drunk. Drunker than she ever will be in her entire life, that's for sure.

"My legs feel like noodles," Hisako wailed as she walks alongside the girls, giggling.

Tadokoro, ever the sweetest, soothes her, "Just another second and we'll be there."

I stare at the few feet that stretched between us to the car and groaned because it looked so far. Of course Erina's perception of distance is slightly askew due to alcohol but nevertheless, she stomps her foot like a little kid.

Alice, ever the cheery, skipped giddily towards the car.

Just when they were about to put Hisako into the car, Erina's phone buzzed.

It was Yukihira Soma.

Seriously the last person she needs right now.

But she answers nonetheless.

"Hello?" Erina musters a grunt as she pushes Hisako inside with her free hand because Alice is being a little snob for not helping Erina and Tadokoro.

"Hey, you done?" Soma slurred.

Erina nodded then realize that Soma can't see her, so she says, "Yeah. Is there something wrong?" Oh please God, please tell me there's nothing wrong with Hayama or anything that could lead to a wedding cancelation.

"Where you at?" He asked, easy.

Erina replied with her location. "Why?"

"Oh, I think it's close. I'm picking you up in 10, wait, alright?"

Erina doesn't like being bossed around and certainly not by Soma. "And why would I want to do that?"

Soma shouted. "Because it's night, and we're in Vienna and we're going to take a ride in my scooter! Woo!"

Tadokoro motioned Erina to hop in and she holds up her finger, telling her to wait a second. "A scooter?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah!"

"Yukihira, just go back to the hotel." She massaged her temple to ease the frustration that started to creep up.

"No!" Soma refuses. "I'm literally right around the corner."

Erina debated between leaving with Tadokoro, Alice, and Hisako, which is the most rational and best thing to do but she knows for sure that Soma doesn't lie and when he says he's literally around the corner, you bet he's around the corner.

Erina heaved out a sigh, she can't believe she's actually doing this. She covers her phone with her hand and leans in into the car, "I'll meet you at the hotel."

Alice too busy singing to give a damn, Hisako sleeping, and Tadokoro extremely worried face. "Are you sure? Are you going somewhere?"

"Yukihira is minutes away to pick me up. It's fine, you should go back and put Hisako to bed, and maybe leave Alice." Erina rolled at the last part. She backs up from the car and told the driver to go.

"All right, text me when you get back." She waves her dainty hands over the window. Erina hates how Soma's name makes the concern in Tadokoro's face disappear. She certainly wouldn't be safe if it involves a certain red-haired man.

When Soma arrives, Erina had to take a double look because Soma's right eye is swollen. "What the hell happened?" Erina unconsciously stepped forward and take a look at it closer, much closer. She grips Soma's face and turned it towards her, so hard, Soma's head could be detached.

"Ah," he winks with his good eye. "Nothing, just a fight at the bar."

"You got into a fight? Wait, how come?" Erina oozes an aura of concern that is DEFCON level of concern-ness and Soma unconsciously cringe.

Soma takes a grip at her wrist, pulling it away from Soma's face, slowly since her nails already start to dig at the side of his face. "Nakiri, I'm fine. Really. Now, where do we want to go?" He gives her his easy smile.

"A hospital," Erina scoffs.

"I certainly did not pick you up to go to the hospital." Soma frowned.

"Yukihira!"

"In my defense, Hayama was getting a little too drunk for his own good and he accidentally elbowed someone, I'm just keeping the peace!"

"Doesn't mean you're not going to a hospital, look at yourself."

Soma believed that it can't be that bad if he can drive a scooter at three in the morning while under the influence of alcohol. "Nakiri, you're being a hyperbole, I'm totally fine."

Erina can't believe that Soma called her a hyperbole. Her? The one who's worried at him? Probably the only girl who stupidly worries over him? Who would come back for more to be worried for him only to feel like a fool in the end? "Yukihira, you're stressing me out."

"It's not a picnic when it comes to you either."

Erina is seriously shocked. "I don't need you to be a smartass."

Soma beckons her to the scooter. "Then come on, hop on."

Erina had little willpower left to argue with him as she studies her chosen attire for the night. A beige trouser pant and a silk polkadot blouse.

Soma senses the worry in Erina regarding her clothes so he says, "You look fine, we're practically wearing the same thing." He handed Erina another helmet he stored beforehand.

"Yeah, but you look more…" She struggles to find the right words as she struggles to put on the helmet. She doesn't want to compliment Soma when she doesn't really feel the need to.

"Hot? Cool? Fancy?" Soma grinned.

"Comfortable." Erina rolled her eyes as she settles behind Soma, gripping the light jacket Soma sporting.

"Sure, comfortable, I'll take that." He tipped his helmet back to Erina's, making a clicking noise.

"You're impossible."

"I saw some red bridge over there, it looks pretty." Soma point to what Erina assume a direction towards the bridge, but all she sees is empty street.

"And what we'll be doing over there?"

"I don't know, sightseeing?"

"Right. Sure, at three in the morning, the view must be fantastic." Erina pinched the side of Soma's body as he jolts.

He wheezed out a curse while rubbing the sore spot, perfectly getting the hint. "Or we can get something to eat."

They settled for street food that sells kebabs, burgers, and some falafel wraps. A quick google search shows that Berliner Döner was one of the best late night food Vienna could have. Both Soma and Erina settle for a kebab while they sat quietly, munching on their own food in a parked scooter.

"How's Hisoko?"

Erina wiped the sauce that's coming out of the kebab with her fingers and suck on it. "She's fine, I guess. Drunk to death but fine."

Soma nodded. "Well, that's good. The groom is a ticking time bomb, he's nervous to the bone."

Erina takes a sip of her cola, a decision she made without second guess because apparently, any decision after 1 AM is automatically a bad decision. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

Soma shrugged while taking a bite. "A lot of people are worried about the concept of marriage. Are they getting married too fast? Too late?"

"How about you?" Erina dares herself to look Soma in the eye. His golden eyes are shining under the bright street lamps that illuminate his figure.

Soma makes a weird expression, looking like he's thinking about it but not thinking about it at the same time. "I'm not at that stage of life."

Erina scoffs. "Or maybe marriage wasn't in your mind from the beginning."

Soma ponders this over. Ever since he was a kid his main goal was to become a great chef and beat his father. But looking back, he wasn't exactly doing cartwheels when he got into Tootsuki, maybe at the back of his mind he still wants to be just a normal chef at some diner but he did appreciate the lesson and experiences he gain from getting to Tootsuki but in the end, his dedication to cooking was because the thrill of it, the thrill of finding something new, fighting against rival, and polishing his skill in order to become a great chef that could take down his father. After his goal of becoming a great chef and defeating his father, he hasn't thought much about life. Supposedly, he'll get married and start a family, eventually. Or not. Either way, Soma seems to be okay with it.

He chewed on his kebab longer than necessary. "Maybe marriage wasn't supposed to be for everyone. They had their own perceptions, experiences, and obstacles. But, maybe that's what makes marriage so special. A feeling that is shared between two human beings, somehow." He crumpled the paper wrap of his kebab and throw it into a nearby trashcan.

"Marriage is based on a decision made by two human beings," Erina replies.

Soma nods to the comment Erina made. "It wasn't my time to decide on things and maybe it's not your time either."

"And that's okay," she looked up again at Soma.

Soma understood well what the look on Erina's face had exactly meant. That she's worried, most of her friends are married or at least in the situation where they're going to get married and she's feeling insecure about it. Thinking that there might be something wrong with her, for not thinking about marriage.

Soma smiles and musses Erina's head. "And that's okay."

* * *

Instead of simmering down, Hayama nervousness only getting much _much_ worse.

"Calm down," Takumi said for the hundred times today. "Hisako will not leave you on the altar."

"Thank you, that's what I said," Soma added.

"I'm freaking out because I'm about to get married. What the hell. I'm going to get married." Hayama brushes his hair frantically with his hands full of sweat.

"If she decides to leave you at the altar, it's her loss and you still have us." Isshiki encouraged with his assuring million-watt smile.

But it's a wrong move because Hayama is stiff as a board now. "There are five hundred and fifty people out there that will be looking at me!"

" _Only_." Takumi pressed.

Kuga sat down and crosses his legs. "Bring out the violin. Seriously, I didn't take Hayama to be such a drama queen?" he wondered at Soma and Soma only nod because he firsthand knows how a drama queen Hayama can be, especially the incident with Central back then. Jeez, do Soma get angry for his stupidity.

"Breathe in and breathe out." Isshiki starting to act like he's a Buddhist monk and people in the room clearly thought that he's not helping a damn thing.

Ryo smacks Hayama in the back, "Get a grip, man. It'll be okay."

"But what if this is going to be a failed marriage? Like what if I go bankrupt? Or she cheated? Or _I_ cheated on her?" Now he sounds like a person who's going crazy.

Ryo attracts everyone attention by replaying what he did on his wedding day. He walks to the end of the room and starts walking towards the other end, leaving everyone confused to what he's doing. "It's only one ceremony and it's only the love of your life at the end of that aisle that will matter, and you're just fucking walk from one end to another end, trust me."

It's hard to trust Ryo when at his wedding day he totally looks like a drunkard. Wobbly walk, messy hair and inappropriate choice of clothing. It's hard to be emotional at that time, you know.

Takumi can only shake his head so Soma, trying to be the best man he's expected to be, come to the rescue. "You and Hisoko are great for each other and trust me when I say that you two will always figure things out, together. This is probably the best thing that could happen to you, ever."

Soma's crappy speech seems to work because Hayama blinked and calm down a notch. "You, a firm believer that settling down wasn't entirely necessary, think that me marrying Hisako, who's obviously the opposite of me is the best thing ever?"

Hayama's doubts are still showing in his eyes which is not good but Soma wasn't a man of words, but he's good at pointing out the obvious with his straightforward remarks, so he did just that, "Opposite attract."

Suddenly, Hayama muscle knots loosen and he stops pacing back and forth like a restless cat. What Soma said wasn't anything special, but it's so simple and genuine and somehow it just is. Maybe sometimes there's no need to be dwelling on what would happen, maybe there's just some universal explanation for what's happening in your life.

The committee enters the room, telling that it was almost time to go. So, Ryo being Ryo, pushes Hayama to the door without his consent with everyone following behind.

"I'll try not to outshine you." Soma winked at Hayama, when they are standing in front of the door, ready to go in.

Hayama is simmering down, which is a good sign. "With that black eye?" he laughs.

The door opens and they all walked into the aisle.

Not long after they settled at the altar, a song starts playing and at the door stood Erina among other bridesmaids.

And Soma didn't say anything because there are no words that could describe what he's feeling just by looking at her.

She's wearing a lilac silk dress and her hair is put into a braid. She carried a bouquet of bluebell and Soma did not know if it's the wedding, the ancient chapel, the made-up garden and decoration or the atmosphere but he's feeling a million things by looking at her.

Something wasn't supposed to tug his heart, but damn if he didn't notice it.

Erina looks up unconsciously at Soma and she didn't dare to avert his gaze. Soma looked great in a classic tuxedo, a thing he should be wearing more often, but besides that Erina can't help but be mesmerized by the way he looks at her.

It feels like there is so much that he wants to say but can't.

They didn't know that a wedding can make them feel so much at once.

Soma realized that the bridesmaids had already in line and the bride is approaching.

Once Hisoko arrives at the altar, Hayama looks at her with such tenderness and love that made the guest wept a little. They repeat the vow and kiss.

Soma never thought a wedding could make him feel emotional and so much joy.

Something shift in Soma's mind and maybe its time for him to think twice about marriage.

* * *

Leave a lovely review so that I can improve on my writing xxx!


	4. Chapter 4

Hello! How y'all doing?

I'm fine and doing my best currently, tired but still doing my best.

I actually had this chapter four draft ever since February but i just managed to finish it by now, so i'm sorry for that.

Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favorite i truly appreciate them and has helped me finish this chapter and motivates me to actually finish the stories so thank you for your good deeds.

So, this is the fourth chapter i hope you all like it as much as i do and... enjoy i guess!

* * *

Chapter 4: Japan Most Awaited Spring

Soma decided that traveling up north is miserable.

He always hates the snow. He hates the extreme cold, the arctic jacket that makes rustling sound every time he moves and then when he needs to poo he needs to remove five layers of clothing just for his nuts to freeze off.

Don't get him wrong, he wasn't whining because of the lack of scenery in the north, but it doesn't have to be this _cold_. Norway is a beautiful country, there are mountains and fjord everywhere Soma looks. It's actually one of the happiest countries in the world, according to research but Soma can't help but think how they can be happy when they are living with nothing but snow for most of the year? Up here they have polar nights where they didn't have sun for three months. Three goddamn fucking months with no fucking sun! Most of the time the weather was also extreme, a storm could happen any time and in five minutes it can turn into a light drizzle.

If it wasn't because of his curiosity, he wouldn't be caught dead standing here.

When its noon, Soma reached the end of his hike for the day. He plops down to take a rest, pouring hot tea he had prepared earlier. Nothing compares to the tea Hisoko made but hot beverages always beat the cold no matter how it tastes.

It's late March and the snow is falling lightly, the sky is grey and it's hard to distinguish between the mountains, the sky and the land because all he could see is white. However, he found the whiteness of it all, calming. New York City was bustling every damn day, not to mention Tokyo, it's every damn hour and in here he finds nothing but stillness. The world is laid out in front of him, big, never-ending and so damn magnificent.

Looking at the view, somehow it makes him feels like all his problems feel insignificant.

Coming up here, Soma didn't know what to expect because he hasn't been this far north before. Two weeks in, he realized that life wasn't easy, life in the north is certainly not for everyone and definitely not for him. Engines don't always start at the first ignition and pipes freeze. It seems the people living here were all about having enough food to eat, storing it efficiently to get through the winter. Once the polar night hits, it's all about survival.

Then Soma wonders, all the money he had in the bank, the property, the restaurant, it all seems to mean nothing here. It just doesn't have a bargaining advantage to it. People here don't care who he is or what he's doing here.

While it didn't matter that much to him, the thought of it kinda stuck at the back of his mind. About his own existence, about his achievement and about what he owned back in New York.

Upon arrival at Tromso, Soma had planned to get some rest for a few days before adventuring further north. He stays at an Airbnb he rented far from city center, and when he was just about to go to the supermarket to pick up a few things for the days ahead, he passed a police car that is dealing with an accident. Mind you, Norway's total population is only around 5 million for a country that is massive and he hardly saw any hospital or police station so he thought occurrence like this rarely happens. Upon further discoveries from asking people around, unfortunately, last night, when he's fast asleep, someone had run into the cliff because they can't tell the 5 meters distance.

Living everyday life in the city, Soma is not the kind of person that is faced with a life and death situation so it shocked him watching the authority tries to pick up what's left. He realized at that moment, that this could happen to him. He's determined to drive more safely and aware of his surroundings in the upcoming days so that he could get back in one piece, not that he had someone, in particular, waiting for him or praying to God for his safety.

 _Hell, all of my friends seem like godless heathens._

He had decided to sleep in the car for the fourth night because camping outside is bad news, especially with the weather forecast for the next two days. Snow and wind in the night is not something he can take lightly after experiencing it once. He munched on his bread, one of the last when he caught sight of a man standing in the middle of a fjord. Or at least what he assumed used to be a fjord because half of the area is frozen. The man is fishing apparently, he punched a hole in the middle of it and fish, like its nobody business. Soma didn't have the energy and brain to really ask him anything, so he just follows the man's footprint and walk slowly into the middle of the frozen ice for whatever reason because if he feels anything, he feels tired. He hadn't shave for weeks, hadn't had a proper human interaction, scraping for food he had packed and clearing snow from his car that had piled up.

He never walked in the frozen fjord before, he should be afraid but his mindset telling him that is not any different than an ice rink, nevertheless Soma made a regretful decision, where he decided to take a look down, seconds later he's staring at the frozen fjord. He could see his reflection and somehow he didn't like it. It looks so fragile, one wrong step and he's down there freezing to death for sure. It reminds him of cooking, one wrong step and he can't go back to fix it because there's no time, not with the costumers that made reservation three months in advance.

Finding his feet glued to the ice, the man turns around, taking notice of Soma and they chatted and was kind enough to offer him lodging.

Sadly, Soma didn't get his name. Every time he asks, he only asks Soma to call him 'Bones' because that's what people called him. He brought Soma to his home, on the low slope of trekking rail that led to the top of the mountain. He had a lovely family, a wife with blonde hair that is almost white with blue eyes named Faye and then a son, no more than ten who's called Ivar.

Bones didn't look like a family man, instead, he looks like any northern man would. Big, strong and detached. And yet, he looks like the gentlest man on earth when he's around Ivar. Bones makes the term domesticated looks so fucking tempting.

 _Will I be able to experience something like this?_

"Here you go." Faye slides a plate towards Soma, catching him off of his thought. Soma thanked the family for the meal they had prepared. He examined the dish prepared in front of him, it looks like fish for sure, but what he doesn't know.

Ivar takes his seat in the dining table and pops a question, attracting Soma's attention. "You a tourist?"

"Look at him, kid, weather like this and he got no preparation whatsoever." Bones said roughly while taking a seat.

Soma smiles sheepishly as an answer.

Faye chuckled, seeming to understand the situation Soma has. "It shouldn't be like this,"

Soma looks up instinctively. "Sorry?"

"She meant the weather. The spring should've come but we still get snow falling." He said with a thick accent.

"Where are you from, Mister?" Ivar asked with a glint in his eyes as if he's excited to see an outsider.

"I'm Japanese but currently I'm staying in New York," Soma always answer a question like this like it was nothing, he is a sought after chef, he got this kind of thing in every interview. He usually said Japan where he's from and elaborated more about his current residencies.

Bones picks up bread Faye prepared earlier, "Then, where's home exactly?"

"For now…" Soma should've continued with 'New York' but he's not able to. Watching Bones get domesticated with his family, Soma considered that the word 'home' had a different meaning to him, after all, he still asked about it when he just answered where he came from. Soma blink as a horrible realization hits upon him, that maybe home may not be in fact, _home_. He has a circle of people he could trust and committed to making the restaurant rise in the neighborhood as much as he is, but home sounds a lot more than that. It suggests warmth and belonging that will nurture him. Even if Soma had already devoted his ambition in New York, he does not find sufficient connection and not especially understood emotionally speaking. Soma feels the lingering stare from Bones and Ivar, waiting for his answer while casually munching down on bread, but still, nothing comes out from his mouth because he just doesn't know how to continue.

Thankfully, Faye saved his ass. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a chef."

"Oh, now you're making me feel nervous about the dish I prepared. I didn't know that we're having a guest and I don't have the time to prepare an appetizer or even soup in these cold days. But, if you're staying for another day I can whip you up my best soup." She grinned wide.

Humbled by her way of speaking, Soma nodded. "I'm more than thankful to be welcomed here without notice. I can only stay for one night, but I would love to hear some of your recipe I bet it all tastes great if that's okay with you."

Faye covers her mouth with her hands and laughs, she seems to be the type of person that flattered easily. "Of course, I have tons of family recipe, I can show you some of it." She answered and then notice that her son is playing with the food. "Don't play with it,"

"I miss fishing in the fjord without all the ice," Ivar mumbled.

"The sun will come, just wait." The head of the family reply short.

"Please," Faye motion to the plate that's in front of Soma.

Soma stab his fork into the fish and took a bite. Once the fish touches his lips, he cringed a little.

Bones laughs. "It's cold, isn't it?"

"It's pickled herring. We all here eat by what is available in the sea and mountains," Faye slides a glass of water. The fish is insanely salty and cold so Soma gladly took the water and chug it down in seconds.

Faye, feeling the need to, explain it to him. "In here, we dry everything because we have to. To survive, to prolong the summer. We salted and dried everything. Fermenting, pickling, anything for it to last. People have been doing this for a thousand of years up here, although life wasn't as hard as it was back then, this man here," Faye nudged Bones in the shoulder. "Is a true seafarer. He still has that mentality to stock up for winter otherwise we got nothing to eat."

Soma didn't enjoy the pickled herring, he decided that it wasn't for him but he did learn a few new things from Faye who apparently knows local delicacies in the back of her mind and this is actually what he came for, to learn and experience firsthand how they do it in the north in terms of cuisine. But, more than anything he enjoyed the hospitality the family has given to him.

The next morning he needs to set off before another snowstorm hits. He tied up his shoelace on the front porch when Bones comes behind him. He stares at the fjord in front of him, half of it was frozen, looking eerie but mesmerizing at the same time. The rare clear sky cast warmth on the frozen fjord. Ivar, hop onto the snow and venture in front of the porch. Bones stares at him.

"You take him out often?" Soma asked, his eyes fixated on Ivar who's checking his family's private boat.

Bones take a sip of his morning coffee. "Yeah. He needs to know how to get food in the house. It's basic survival here."

"He looks like he's enjoying it."

"I can't even get him back on land when its summer. He always loves the sea. Say, do you have any kids?"

Soma chuckled. "I'm not married."

Bones didn't look surprised. "Huh. What is it with youngsters these days?" Bones chuckled. "Suddenly they don't do commitments anymore. Why is there so full of you out there?" He shook his head remembering his old days. "Back in the day, the day I became a man, I want to get married and settled down as soon as possible. A good relationship with other human beings is the key essential to survival. Take notes from me, young man, when you are faced with nature every day and the probability you can't predict, you need to find someone. You just have to."

Soma really wants to pull himself back from the conversation because he definitely had no interest in this kind of matter. But Bones has been nothing but a good man to him, offering him his house, food and hospitality that Soma must admit, kinda miss. So, Soma feels obliged to sound a reply, "It's not hard to be committed with another person, but it's pretty hard to be committed to your own feelings." He ended with a chuckle, to make things light but damn if it didn't sound depressing.

Soma always expects less from romance. He can't fathom what is a good relationship anyway? Is it the one that has matching good habits? The condition where our friends are supposed to be their friends too? It all seems just a recipe for a disaster.

Soma always values his independent choice. The freedom to travel without a partner. To have some good time with friends without having to bring his partner and worry that they might feel left out. To have his own financial security, private bathroom, private bed all to himself and so on.

Although, the longer he ponders about this, the more he realizes that there is something brewing, creeping at the back of his mind, that somehow he had crossed all of that every time he's with Erina. They always have the utmost respect for each other, they understand what kind of work they in, they don't argue about it, the most important thing they have is that they see each other eye to eye in a non-dramatic and non-disloyal terms.

 _The stuck up princess is the one who sees me eye to eye?_

He'd be laughing his ass off if he thought about it ten years earlier.

Bones coughs. "Anyways, Faye packed you this."

It's provision enough to last Soma for days. He can't thank this family enough.

"Be careful out there, with crazy weather like this, nature likes to remind us how small we are as humans," he chuckled as if reminiscing about something back in the day. "Anyway, find someone to be the reason you got through your hardest day at work, someone that will make your life wonderful."

Soma's face is stiff as a board.

Bones let out a booming laugh that Ivar perked up at the situation. "Whoops, wrong thing to say. Just as long as you have a place to come back to, you're good. Don't get lost in the storm, okay?" He gave out one last piece of advice, noting how the sky already cast its grey hues.

A big lump stuck in Soma's throat. He only gives Bones a curt nod and drove off after hugging Ivar.

* * *

Hisako was on her honeymoon, meaning that Nakiri Erina had to prepare and remember everything by herself. Schedule, preparations, everything. So, when someone had barged into her office without an appointment, Erina's mood goes from bad to worse. It has plummeted down like an avalanche nobody can't stop.

Even more when she realizes that it's the current talk of the world, Saiba Asahi himself.

They've met before, begrudgingly so, at some culinary event held earlier this month. Saiba Asahi had the audacity to come up to _the_ Nakiri Erina and chatted her up. To her surprise, he wasn't that intimidating and he actually talks about Saiba like he actually is his son, although Erina didn't buy any of that, she still believed that there must be an explanation for it, not that a certain red-headed idiot opens up investigation about it or at least show that he cares about the issue and don't _even_ ask about the father. After the event, Erina decided to do some research on him, not that she's worried about what he might do and how it will affect Soma's personally, nope, she's doing it for her own personal information in case she needs it in the future. Apparently, he's the boss of an organization full of black chefs and she hasn't fully comprehended what his motive for suddenly announcing to the world that he's Saiba Joichiro's son.

Saiba Asahi did not wait for the invitation, he made himself comfortable at the chair that is meant for guests that Erina actually welcomed.

"I see you're getting comfortable," Erina start, eyes glaring down at him.

"I see you're investigating me," He challenged, his eyebrows raising, teasing her.

Erina fumed. "Because I know you're up to no good."

Asahi put a hand over his heart. "That is a rude assumption for someone who could be the answer to your problem," he finishes with a smirk.

Erina narrowed her eyebrow.

Asahi takes off his hat. "I've done my homework too, you know, I know you start seeing a doctor because your tongue is not as sensitive as it was before. What an ironic situation, huh? The god tongue that defined the Nakiri Household was also the only thing that brings despair to the household."

Erina put up her defense in full force, not letting him take the upper hand. Erina doesn't want to continue discussing her doctor visit since it wasn't his business to begin with and bringing it up only makes him wonder more so she clear her throat, in the bossiest voice she had mastered, she says, "And, what do you want?"

"For starter," Asahi's eyes motion towards the pen Erina clicking furiously. "You could stop being grumpy."

Erina's cheeks reddened, not realizing that her action had betrayed the calmness she's been trying to show. "Grumpy?" she stopped the clicking immediately. There are many things Erina good at but poker face is not one of them.

"Irritable. Grouchy. Mean," Asahi mimicked Erina's face and for a second he actually looks like someone who is not definitely the leader of noir chef that's currently causing havoc everywhere. Asahi let out a cheeky smile. "Calm down princess, I'm not here to tease you,"

"That's still to be decided," Erina mutter under her breath.

He suddenly stands up, surprising Erina and let out a big satisfying sigh. "What an office! That painting is beautiful by the way, I mean, it's your grandpa which is scary but beautiful nonetheless," Asahi pointed at the painting in the corner of the room of the late Nakiri head household.

Erina, still glued to her chair with arms crossed in front of her chest can't decipher what the hell is he trying to pull. She watched closely how he starts commenting on other things. Like how comfortable her sofa was, how fluffy the pillow and everything else that basically catch his attention.

Why is a man, who suddenly shows up out of nowhere, be the talk of the world, come to her office to make comments about her choice of interior design?

"I assume you're not here to see me, rather you enjoy my office more," Erina said, stern.

Asahi slouched on the sofa, sporting a wide smile. "Don't be jealous, I'm here to propose you actually."

The statement came out so suddenly that Erina abruptly stands up in protest.

Asahi holds up a finger, face turning serious. "And no, it's not a nonsense kind of situation here," he finished with a small smile.

"Mr. Saiba, if that's your real family name, I think you need to leave," Erina muttered, hand clenched so hard she realized that she never been this frustrated before. Sure, Soma can be infuriating but he was never been this despicable.

A man, asking her to marry him, out of nowhere, in bright daylight, with no talking or anything whatsoever. Talk about dismissing her own opinion on the matter.

"I don't have any appointments though," he answered absentmindedly. "I just want a world where I stand at the top of the gourmet world, and you'll be the last piece I need to complete it. A princess with a god tongue, who can prove my skill every single day. On the bright side, you won't have to taste other people's gourmet, only a few I selected. Count it as saving your tongue from bad tasting dish."

"Is there something wrong with your brain?"

Asahi did not bite into the insult, instead, he keeps on babbling. "You're also a Nakiri, if I married into your house everybody will recognize me. It's hard to be a dark chef if you don't have the girt to do it, and I'm trying to make it better for them, truly I do," he put his hands on his heart to show empathy. "But light chef like Yukihira Soma still makes it hard for us. It would be such a hassle to take care of them, no? After all, I only got two hands, so I'm starting from the top. You, from the Nakiri household and Soma, whom people always look up to."

Erina felt shiver runs down her spine. This man was not as innocent-looking as his supposed brother. "What about my consent?" Erina tried to sound as demanding and as brave as possible.

Asahi tssk at her. "You see, it was never about your consent."

Erina's state of mind plummeted to the bottom floor. She had never been this undermined. This feeling that Asahi gives is total pride and superiority, something Erina can't accept. All these years, being a woman hasn't stopped her from doing anything that is deemed too much for women. She had stood on equal grounds with men in the world, gourmet world, but she realized that at some point in time, there are people who look at you and dismissed your achievement, your experience, your rights to voice out your opinion and Erina hate that kind of person the most.

"How about I challenge you to a shokugeki?" Erina knows that she has no time to be afraid. She's been afraid her whole life under her father and after everyone helps her to be free from the chains, she swore she won't take it for granted and try to be braver in the future. This is it. "If you win, I'll marry you."

Asahi's smile is getting more crooked than before. "I'll make it more interesting. How about we battle it out in the final of Blue?"

"How would you know that you're going to the final?" Erina challenged.

Asahi's confidence oozes out of his body. "Oh, I know I will. So, that depends on whether you make it to the final or not," Asahi said the last part jokingly but Erina can't help gritted her teeth in frustration that he actually thinks she's less than him.

Erina pursed her lip into a tight line. "I'll make it. But what is it for you?"

Asahi left the question unanswered and motion his hand outward to tell her that _it's up to you, princess_.

"I need to know your motives,"

"I told you-"

Erina cut him off. "Not with what you want with your life, but with Saiba."

Asahi eyes glint. "Saiba or his other son?" he taunted.

Erina tried her best to not get the bait, and try speaking in a calm manner. "Both the father and the son, which is not you."

Asahi played hurt. "Well, I don't know, destroy his career? Other than that his existence is a nuisance to the dark chef, the kid kind of stole Saiba for me. Lame excuse I know but I was pretty hurt by it," he paused, cackling in the middle of his explanation for making fun of himself. "But, I have this, so…" He purposely leave it hanging as he shows Erina a land property document.

Upon seeing it up close, Erina's eyes widen. "How'd you get that?"

Asahi clearly satisfied with Erina's reaction. "Well, I have people to do some digging around and being in the dark, it wasn't hard to get information. We know who's who. The land was never theirs, Saiba never bought the land, apparently, his father-in-law was the one who owns the diner and I guess they're not coming with big money. And lookie, the diner is a strategic place and I know the yakuza who protects and control the area, I could basically ask another group from a different turf to take them down, I'm sure you understand that land-owning business in Tokyo is rough." He ended with a satisfied smirk.

"Saiba would never let you do that!" Erina shouted because she knew how much that place meant to Soma. He always tells stories about his experience he gets from Yukihira's dinner, it's the place where he honed his skill alongside his father and definitely his mother. Where he met people from the neighborhood and listen to their stories and build a relationship with. Soma rarely talks about his childhood, especially about his mother so when he brought it up, Erina understood that the place is there to stay. To open when he got the time when he want to unwind and back to his own roots.

Asahi let out a low chuckled and fished out a cooking knife. "This is his knife. _The_ Saiba knife."

The shock on Erina's face is a dead giveaway to her current state.

"Yes. I won." He assured. "Take his precious property, probably humiliates Soma in the future, or perhaps challenge him? I mean I always hate one of those light chefs, they're not any better than dark ones. They just happen to have people value them and a different start that comes with privilege. Still, there are many things to be decided and I'm not going to spoil the whole plan to you, princess."

Erina managed to keep her composure intact. "If I win, I'm getting those documents and say goodbye to your proposal." She said, determined, with the clearest voice she can manage.

Asahi wetted his lips with his tongue, feeling challenged. "No."

"No?"

"Let's make it into a parlay." Asahi's eyes glint and he licks his lip, tauntingly.

Erina stares at him with so much question at the ready but he beat her to it.

"Make your friends go against mine, win two matches out of three and you beat me, you win."

"Deal," Erina said, the determination shown in her eyes.

* * *

"You really picked me up," Soma grinned, leaning to a window car.

On the driver side, Takumi lowers down his sunglasses and grunt. "Just get in."

Soma opens the door, get in and slammed it shut before he got the time put his overnight bag in the backseat. "Thanks for the pickup, by the way."

Soma just landed in Narita airport and had specifically ask Takumi to pick him up if he's free because although he always good with a taxi, he wants to see someone he knows once he arrived. Erina with her busy schedule is out of the question and other than Takumi, everyone is married and Kuga-senpai was never his first choice when it comes to anything.

Takumi stepped on the gas, getting the hell out of the airport. "How do you know I'm in Japan?"

Soma eases into the seat, putting on his seatbelt. "Call it instinct or maybe your annual visit to Tadokoro's family," he finished with a grin.

"Yeah, they're all healthy if you're wondering." Takumi clicks on his tongue, feeling annoyed because Soma, who hardly remembers someone's birthday had remembered about his annual visit to Megumi's family and had work to his advantage.

"What about Tadokoro?" He asks, eyes focus on his phone, sending a text to Erina.

Takumi didn't answer right away, in fact, it got quiet for a couple of seconds that Soma had to check on Takumi.

Takumi clears his throat, "I… I asked her to marry me." He stammers, feeling embarrassed God knows for what.

Soma adjusts his position, facing Takumi, his face beaming with happiness. "No way! You finally pop the question, how'd it go?"

Much calmer, Takumi focuses his eyes on the road and says, "It was nothing big, honestly it's just the usual dinner with her family and somehow this feeling of urgency came over me so I asked her right away. She said it was perfect but I didn't do anything over the top really, I mean, she really is down to earth but she's still the most special person in my life, just thought I could do something more."

"Congrats, man!" Soma slapped Takumi in the shoulder, bringing him a little bit forward. "Trust me, you did the right thing, she would've hated if you make it extravagant." Soma also noted that he appreciates how Takumi didn't ask about his love life in return because he knows the best how Soma hated it for people to pry him with questions about love.

"So, where are you staying?" This exact question Takumi asked is what made Soma feel absolute about his plan. He realized that every time he comes back to Japan, he was always being asked this question, and it made him feel like he doesn't have a permanent place. Regarding his apartment in New York, it's not like he can call it a home either. The place is not well decorated, and he wasn't at home most of the time, it was messy and things weren't meant to last in that apartment. It felt kinda hollow for some reason. If the apartment was caught on fire and he has 60 seconds to save anything, he wouldn't be able to come up with a damn thing.

Soma shook his head. "Just take me to Yukihira's diner."

"You opening up again?" Takumi asked, feeling a little lost.

"Yeah, I think it's due for renovation and cleaning," he chuckles.

"For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

Takumi almost crashed into a giant pole. "What about New York?"

"I sold my apartment and the restaurant will do fine without me for months, if something came up I'll make a trip down there to take care of it and be back here."

"You're kidding me. You're settling down in Japan?" Takumi had to ask just to make sure because this is Soma he's talking with, you just never know when his brain going to take a sudden turn.

"Well, I mean, things were really weird for me ever since I came back from Norway. For some reason, I think that my head is not in the right place. Feel like I'm missing something, and usually, this call for something familiar," He explained as much as he was able to without exposing his whole deal. He's been feeling so much lately, a feeling he never knew he's capable of such as yearning for god knows what.

Takumi reel back the information that Soma already sold his apartment, it indicates something permanent but with the money he has, he could buy another unit in a matter of seconds so he's still a little bit iffy and suspicious about the red-haired decision. "By settling down?" Takumi makes sure once again.

Soma replied with his crinkled eyebrows.

Takumi let it go by shrugging. "It just… coming from you, it surprised me, okay?"

"Yeah, well, I'm surprised too." Soma cast a perfect grinned, so perfect its almost look forced.

Takumi wasn't in the mood to play this game with him, so he keeps quiet and making a mental note to tell Tadokoro about this because gossiping about his friends life to Tadokoro is actually a guilty pleasure of him.

* * *

The moment Erina received a text about meeting Soma in Yukihira's diner in an hour, she bolted out of the chair and make her way almost immediately.

Once she arrived, she examined the building, some spot needed work than the other but she wonders if the spot is there when she last came here? Probably around 7 years ago. She also noticed that it's not the same grandma on the store next to the diner, must be her grandchild and she realizes the neighborhood undergo some changes but they're all starting to change into the new generation, some store stays some store gone, lost to a bigger competitor or land offer who knows, and sooner or later the diner has to make a decision too.

The sign on the door says that it's closed, Erina knew that he won't open until at least in the next five days, he has a lot to work on, but she bet once it opens up, people from the neighborhood will be swarming with empty stomachs.

She braced herself when opening up the door. Inside, Soma is currently wiping the table bar when he looked to check who's coming.

"Nakiri," he breathed, somewhat relief to see her face again after seeing all the snow in Norway. "You're here."

Erina makes her way towards Soma, not sure about whether to greet him properly, hug him or maybe even give him a little kiss.

Soma solved the dilemma by kissing Erina on the lips, short but sweet nonetheless. "I'm still cleaning, but wait, I wanna show you something new, I learned a couple of things."

Soma looks cheerful most of the time, but he especially looks like he's having the best mood today, so Erina shove everything down to her throat including her meeting with Saiba Asahi, no matter how serious or how concerning it is to the diner, she can't come up with the bravery to tell him. Not because she was scared, it was because she didn't know exactly where she stands in the issue.

The diner is not hers, her family didn't own it or has any relation to it, so why is she worked up about it anyway? If she tell everything to Soma now, she can't predict a single outcome that will come out from that good for nothing brain and he'll probably overthink and retreat back to his room. Truth to be told, she doesn't want anything to happen to the diner but who is she to make any choices? For all she know, the diner was pretty beaten down from poor maintenance and Soma can relocate to a much nicer neighborhood, but this is where he had all his childhood memory and she doesn't know how much Soma can be sentiment towards it, because no matter how outgoing Soma look, he actually never talk about what he really feels to anyone. Unfair, she realized.

Not to mention, the question popped by Saiba Asahi. Erina doesn't want to go there, to guess what Soma's answer might be. He could care less about it for all he cares about, he probably would think it's a good idea that someone would offer marriage to Erina, he always saw the positivity of every situation, and then what? Erina will feel disappointment for sure but why? It's not like Soma is a strong candidate for a husband either and she's not exactly in a relationship with him. Then there's the parlay thing, she has to win them all to come out victorious but can she do that? She never saw firsthand the capabilities of the dark chefs, and she sure as hell don't want to undermine the capabilities her friends have but still the probabilities to lose pretty much existent.

"You look tense," Soma noted lightly.

Erina snapped to reality and quickly shake her head. "It's work," she flings her arms crazily to support her statement.

"Is there something I can do?" He offered.

She starts fumbling with the hem of her shirt, a habit when she's nervous but Soma didn't notice it. "It's nothing, just some internal family issues," she waves her hand motioning for him to not worry, consciously building up a wall and casting Soma as an outsider to the issue.

Soma was never the man that pressed for something especially when the person he's talking to clearly doesn't want to spill it so per usual, he let it go without any further suspicion. "I realize renovating the main house is expensive, do you want to pitch in?" He offered out of the blue without any warning.

Soma said it so carelessly it almost sound nonsensical that Erina had to blink twice to really absorbed what he had to say. "I'm paying?"

He let out a cheeky laugh. "As much as I want to, no, we're going to split the bill."

"But I don't live here and you're not staying here, why bother renovating?" Erina look around the diner, the seat is still good and sturdy, there's nothing wrong with the table for the customers, more or less he just need to upgrade the kitchen and while she hasn't seen the main house upstairs she's sure it wasn't that bad, Soma himself wasn't gonna stay here for long.

"Actually, I'm staying," Soma announced.

"Yukihira," she starts but stopped because she didn't know what to follow it with.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "And if you agree to split the bill, you can stay here too," he mumbled. "Only if you're free or in town, or you could stay at your family estate, I mean whatever floats your boat." He finished, much more calmly this time.

Erina pinched the bridge of her nose and squeezed her eyes shut in distressed. Once she opens her eyes, a pair of golden eyes look at her with bewilderment. "Yukihira, are you asking me to share a house with you?"

"If you're going to pitch in for the renovation, sure."

Erina's eyes widen. "Are you suggesting that we start living together?"

"Nakiri, you do realize that we pretty much an endgame at this point, right?"

Erina balled her fist on the side. "Just answer the damn question! Are you asking me to move in with you?" She screamed, albeit the sudden rise in her voice, she's not angry, just…confused it seems.

Soma unconsciously takes a step back and laughs nervously, suddenly feeling small and intimidated. "I guess?" He finished with a short nervous laugh.

He only receives a glare for an answer.

Soma clear his throat and stood his ground. "First of all, retract your claw and stop looking at me like that."

Erina calm down and managed her breath. Steady breathing, you can do it. Erina admitted that there's something romantic about what he just said. Soma might not have the slightest intention of being romantic, it was never in his nature but his sheer honesty makes Erina's stomach turns upside down. What he had said about them being endgame has some assurance point to it, meaning that whatever life throws, against all odds they will always find a way back together.

"You know I was in Norway, right?"

Erina nodded.

"Well, it was cold. Like, minus 20 cold. It's supposed to be the start of spring but I guess, the sun don't favor Norway." He whined to ease the conversation a little bit, this is actually a habit of Soma, always taking it down a notch whenever the conversation started to feel heavy.

Erina knew exactly what he's doing so she play along. "Luckily, spring comes early here. The flower starts to bloom beautifully and people have been noisy enough about it they keep saying 'its time for a new beginning' or something. Alice can't wait for a hanami party although she does it every year," she shakes her head at her cousin whims.

Cutting her off, he started the conversation from before. "Well, I realized that I don't have anything that makes me look forward to come home, other than, well to meet you wherever that may be," he scratches the back of his neck. He wasn't nervous, he's just finding a hard time to formulate the correct sentence that would express his feelings. Based on Soma's daily experience, he notices that the reason Takumi delayed his proposal was because Tadokoro is focusing entirely on something else and he respects that and once they have the same view about the future they continue to the next step together, he also had encountered many people with relationship problem that comes down to the differences they have in terms of goal, way of thinking and career path. Not to mention his own experience of falling out love situation because he can't be there in person and always canceling plans. Maybe it was one of those reasons that made him skeptical about getting into a relationship after all Soma's dad wasn't exactly giving out love advice for free.

Erina stood her ground, not daring to say anything afraid he would clam up and change the subject because he's so damn good at that.

Given the momentum, he continued. "I also realized that it's hard for two people to stay together. They need to share the same dream, they need to want the same thing. I wonder…" Soma's eyes look into Erina's. "I wonder if we hadn't been too busy with our life, work, would we give it a fair shot?" Soma motion to the space between him and Erina, almost saying 'whatever this thing between us'.

"Would you?" Erina asks quietly. As a woman, she had realized that in terms of relationship, she's stuck. She remains blocked by a range of doubts, high expectations and hesitations. She's scared to act, but doing nothing also feels horrific because her friends always enjoyed the companion of a partner, a feeling she really wants to understand.

Soma averted his eyes and stare at the family portrait he put on the table counter. He can see his mom smiling at the camera while holding him. It was one of those good days where they spent the day outside. "Honestly, when you took care of me when I was sick I realized how lonely I've been and then I started to see you as my parenting partner that will care for our children as much as I do, my eating companion for more than 20,000 meals, whose day I will hear for 30,000 times in the future and the most important thing is that, you understood my lifestyle. You understood how important work for me, how important cooking is for me and I get yours. We go way back and I actually believe that there's not a single human being in this world that understands me as much as you do."

Erina hold back the tears she didn't realize was there. She is determined to not shed a single tear for this guy, so she strengthen the wall she has built so carefully and cleared her throat. "And how many times you've said this to a girl?" She tries to laugh it off, it could worsen the situation by her choice of words but she can't think straight now.

Soma let out a chuckle and roll his eyes. "You're not getting the same speech as everyone, Nakiri."

Making a decision out of the book wasn't a choice for Erina. She's been trained to carefully make a decision based on proper research, abundant time for thinking things over, a book for references and some expert opinion to support her decision-making process.

To answer Soma, she needs to see beneath her dilemma, she can reject his offering and go back to being alone, but there's a high price to pay for being alone. Erina hates the eeriness around the Nakiri Mansion on most days, the empty feeling after meeting out with friends, the isolation she always feel when there's an event and mostly the overbearing work that she can't always share to everyone.

"Is it OK?" She finally breathed. The question might sound out of the blue, but she was considerably wanted to know the answer because she knows that when you're going to start making a commitment, the least you could do is shed off some weight and problems you have on your own, after all, you're bringing your own demon to someone else's life and Erina knows she still got her own problems that still need to be solved. If only she can just get up and go and say "fuck it" to every insecurities, doubts and problems she had, she would gladly say "I want to share a house with you" right off the bat.

Soma tilts his head to the side, in thought. He doesn't really understand by what she meant, but conversations about feelings doesn't always quite make sense, he noticed. "OK." He answered confidently without further questioning.

"OK," Erina repeated, much more firmly.

Then Soma raised his eyebrow. "OK, OK, OK, why you keep saying OK?"

A laugh escaped Erina's throat as she walks forward and hugs the red-headed man with warmth. "Nothing, I'm just glad." A tear starts to come down by she muffled her face on his shoulder, hiding it.

"OK as in OK to new beginning, I assume? God, I hope I'm not wrong."

Erina lift her head for a moment to kiss Soma's left cheek. "It's very fitting to the season, doesn't it?"

He grinned and wrap his own arms around her. "But you need to work, I don't want to do all the work, it's too much. You can at least paint or something," he teases, already imagining what it would be like renovating the house together, it's just the two of them from now.

"I could pay some workers," she mumbled.

Soma pushes her and keeps a grip at an arm's length. "No! This is our home, we need to do it ourselves so that we will appreciate it more,"

Erina chuckled and roll her eyes. Yeah, right. "Whatever you say."

With this development, she decided to solve the problem she had at hand by herself then. No big deal. It's more easy to deal with than have to confront Soma about it in the current bliss. The moment she's feeling right now is too perfect, she never think or even hopes she can feel something like this.

She could take down Saiba Asahi, for sure, even if her tongue is not functioning to its full potential, her experience will help her and more than that she trust her friends capabilities and she won't let him humiliated Soma in any way he can and mess with his life, she could protect him, hell, she'd do anything for him. Soma had saved Erina from his dad's constant suffocating grip and she can't stop being thankful about it.

When she's done dealing with the problem, she'll tell everything to Soma and if the time is right, she will also tell about the future of the her tongue. _So, please, God, if you up there, let me be selfish and savor this moment and forgive me for hiding some truth from him. Thank you._

* * *

This is my own version regarding Saiba Asahi, while i still took some inspiration from the original, i decided that Blue tournament will be a total individual third party and had no relation with Mana Nakiri (if you read SNS until the end), i will specifically focus Mana character as a member of a Nakiri household as a background to Erina's issue regarding her tongue.

I'm very sleepy while writing this, sorry for lots of grammar errors and inconsistencies

please leave some reviews so that i could make better chapter in the future

thank you so much for reading xxx


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